Orbit Lounge is Open, Come for Pinball, Skeeball

, at 7401 Hazel Avenue (at Sutton Boulevard) in Maplewood, is the new spot to play pinball or skeeball in St. Louis.

It weathered Mothers Day weekend, a blocked street during Taste of Maplewood, and now Memorial Day Weekend, but owner Michael Stivers is happy with his first couple weeks.

“There’s been a lot of positive response the first week,” he said. “It’s something different in the neighborhood to do. People have been playing games beyond my expectations.”

Vintage pinball machines are made into tables and decorate the walls. The hanging lamps and purple bamboo facing the it give it a Tiki bar feel.

There are 10 pinball machines and three skeeball lanes. Stivers said the Simpsons and Starship Troopers are his favorite pinball games, but Southpark is the most popular. He said the volume is loud enough to hear the outrageous quotes.

Skeeball is big because a couple friends can roll games side by side, Stivers said. He calls it the social-competitive aspect of the game.

All pinball and skeeball games cost 50 cents. Skeeball leagues are starting soon (Mondays 7-9 p.m.) and he plans to drop skeeball to 25 cents so players can practice more. St. Louis Skeeball League is organizing the leagues at Orbit.

Stivers serves Dogtown Pizza and Billygoat chips to feed his players. (The food may not be online yet.) He has a selection of bottled beer and wines. There’s no beer on tap.

Play these 10 games at Orbit:

• Monopoly
• Starship Trooper
• Last Action Hero
• The Simpsons
• Jurassic Park
• Judge Dredd
• South Park
• Royal Rumble
• Tales from the Crypt
• Star Wars

Orbit is open 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. and is closed Sunday. Only 21 and older are allowed in the door.

Have you been to Orbit?

Read previous Patch articles about Orbit:

• , March 5
• , May 8