Whether you’re 4 or 84, it’s hard not to have fun at an arcade.
“As parents, in the economy, we’re constantly working, working, working, and we’re missing this time with our kids. So, I am thinking to myself, ‘What can I do to bridge that generation gap?’ So I have games from 1976 up until current,” says Scott Tarach. That’s partly why Tarach, a single father, created Mr. Zero’s Quarter Cafe in downtown Oxford, to spend more time with his child.
He used to work for a restoration company, and it kept taking up more and more of his time. When he started having to send to-go food to his child, he knew something needed to change, and then the unthinkable happened.
On November 30th, 2021, there was a tragic shooting at Oxford High School, where his child went to school.
“The realization was, I don’t want to waste any more time,” says Tarach.
To get away from it all, they went on a trip up north and there they came across an old quarter-fed arcade. They had such a good time, it got him thinking about bringing the concept home to Oxford.
“As things began to unfold, it was a reality to me that this was far bigger than me,” Tarach explained.
The whole community came in to help with everything from running wires for the new electrical demands, to hooking him up with a bunch of arcade games. Tarach was very involved in the whole construction process, and his child did most of the colorful artwork you see on the walls.
“The Centipede is probably the most impressive, and we’re both super proud of that one,” says Tarach. “We got to work together on that, so again, that goes back to us getting to spend family time together.”
As for the name, he decided to honor his father, Mr. Zero. He was a fast-pitch pitcher, and he earned that name because he would frequently pitch no-hitters. His father also loved a good deal, and tarach wanted to keep it affordable for families, so it became Mr. Zero’s Quarter Cafe.
With a lot of hard work, they were able to open their doors on November 30th of 2022, just in time for the anniversary. He opened the arcade to the community for free so everyone could have a fun time and be together.
Now, he and his child get to spend more quality time together, and other families do too.
“It’s not really so much of a business as it is a purpose,” comments Tarach.
Mr. Zero’s Quarter Cafe is located at 35 N Washington Street in Oxford.