# PINSPOTTING: MAY 2022 **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2022-05-22 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2022/05/22/pinspotting-may-2022 --- ## Analysis A travel guide article featuring pinball arcade destinations in Florida's Emerald Coast region (Destin, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach). The author reviews three locations: The Local Market (9 pinball machines including modern Stern titles), Honeybee Ice Cream & The Hive Arcade (5 classic pinballs from the 1980s-1990s), and RadBar (5 machines including recent Stern releases). The article emphasizes these venues as tourist attractions combined with food/beverage offerings. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] The Local Market in Destin features 9 pinball machines including Attack From Mars Remake (Chicago Gaming, 2017), Godzilla Pro (Stern, 2021), and Halloween CE (Spooky, 2021) — _Direct machine inventory listing with photos at featured location_ - [HIGH] Honeybee Ice Cream & The Hive Arcade was established in 2019 by owner Duke Higgs and delayed opening until late 2021 due to COVID-19 — _Direct statement from venue history section_ - [HIGH] Honeybee has 32 flavors of ice cream available, with 'Superman' being the most popular flavor — _Direct quote from owner Duke Higgs about ice cream offerings_ - [HIGH] The Hive Arcade has 5 pinball machines, with only one operational at time of visit and in need of maintenance — _Author observation: 'Unfortunately only one of their pinball games was operational at the time of my visit'_ - [MEDIUM] RadBar in Fort Walton Beach features 5 pinball machines and has reasonable free game thresholds with games kept in excellent condition — _Second-hand account from local pinball players interviewed by author_ ### Notable Quotes > "The kids and the adults both like that one. It has a blue moon flavor, banana flavor and a strawberry flavor." > — **Duke Higgs (Honeybee Ice Cream owner)** > _Describes the popular 'Superman' ice cream flavor, providing character detail about venue owner_ > "I like to think Python was looking down and helping me to play well." > — **Author** > _Humorous reference to Python pinball designer while playing Pin-Bot at Honeybee; shows nostalgia and community knowledge_ > "So, if you can possibly arrange it, I'd suggest that you visit Florida's Emerald Coast this year or next summer at the latest so that you can enjoy the same carefree and casual charm that we experienced." > — **Author** > _Closing recommendation emphasizing time-sensitive nature of visiting before increased development changes the area_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | The Local Market | organization | Restaurant and bar venue in Destin, FL with 9 pinball machines; breakfast/lunch focused | | Honeybee Ice Cream & The Hive Arcade | organization | Ice cream shop and arcade venue in Niceville, FL established 2019; 5 pinball machines, 40+ total arcade games | | RadBar | organization | Bar and arcade venue in Fort Walton Beach, FL; 5 pinball machines, craft beer selection, all-you-can-play pricing model | | Duke Higgs | person | Owner of Honeybee Ice Cream & The Hive Arcade; established venue in 2019 to provide entertainment for local teenagers | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer of 7 machines featured across venues: Godzilla Pro, Jurassic Park Premium, Star Wars Pro, Guardians of the Galaxy Pro, The Mandalorian Pro | | Chicago Gaming | company | Manufacturer of remake titles: Attack From Mars Remake LE, Monster Bash Remake LE | | Spooky Pinball | company | Manufacturer of Halloween CE featured at The Local Market | | Godzilla | game | Stern Pro model (2021) at The Local Market | | Halloween | game | Spooky CE model (2021) at The Local Market | | Jurassic Park | game | Stern Premium model (2019) at The Local Market | | Star Wars | game | Stern Pro model (2017) at multiple venues: The Local Market, RadBar | | Attack From Mars | game | Chicago Gaming Remake LE (2017) at The Local Market | | Monster Bash | game | Chicago Gaming Remake LE (2018) at The Local Market and RadBar | | Guardians of the Galaxy | game | Stern Pro model (2017) at RadBar | | The Mandalorian | game | Stern Pro model (2021) at RadBar | | Pin-Bot | game | Williams (1986) at Honeybee Ice Cream; author played for over an hour on one credit | | Freddy: A Nightmare on Elm Street | game | Gottlieb (1994) at Honeybee Ice Cream | | Haunted House | game | Gottlieb (1982) at Honeybee Ice Cream | | Tales from the Crypt | game | Data East (1993) at Honeybee Ice Cream | | High Speed | game | Williams (1986) at RadBar | | All Star Baseball | game | Valley-Dynamo and Gizmo Game Design (2018) custom pitch and bat game at The Local Market | | JunkYard | game | Williams (1996) at The Local Market; noted as broken | | Popeye Saves the Earth | game | Bally (1994) at The Local Market | | Florida's Emerald Coast | event | Coastal region of northwest Florida including Destin, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, Miramar Beach, and Santa Rosa Beach | ### Topics - **Primary:** Location/Venue Coverage, Pinball Machine Inventory and Availability, Tourism and Travel Guide - **Secondary:** Arcade Venue Operations and Maintenance, Stern Modern Releases (2017-2021), Classic/Vintage Pinball Machines (1980s-1990s) - **Mentioned:** Remake and Licensed Games ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.82) — Author presents venues favorably with appreciation for pinball availability, food/beverage offerings, and charm of the Emerald Coast region. Some minor criticisms noted (RadBar closed limited hours, Honeybee machines mostly non-operational, JunkYard broken) but presented matter-of-factly rather than negatively. Overall tone is promotional and encouraging toward tourism. ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Venue pricing models: The Local Market $1/play or 3 games/$2; RadBar $10 all-you-can-play model; Honeybee 50¢ per play standard (confidence: high) — Explicit pricing documentation at each venue section - **[business_signal]** Location venue maintenance and operational capacity challenges: Honeybee Arcade reports difficulty sourcing parts for 1980s-1990s machines; only 1 of 5 pinballs operational at visit (confidence: high) — Direct statement: 'The Hive Arcade has two game technicians on staff but they say that getting parts for some of the 1980s and 1990s vintage games can be a challenge' and 'Unfortunately only one of their pinball games was operational at the time of my visit' - **[community_signal]** Pinball arcades functioning as tourist attractions and community gathering spaces, particularly in emerging/developing vacation markets (confidence: medium) — Article framing pinball venues as key component of Emerald Coast tourism experience alongside food/beverage - **[market_signal]** Chicago Gaming remake titles (Attack From Mars LE 2017, Monster Bash LE 2018) actively placed and maintained in commercial venue routes (confidence: high) — Both Chicago Gaming remakes present at multiple venues with inventory documentation - **[market_signal]** Documented availability of modern Stern titles (Godzilla 2021, The Mandalorian 2021, Jurassic Park 2019) in location venues alongside classic machines from 1980s-1990s (confidence: high) — Multiple venues featuring recent releases from Stern in playable condition at commercial locations --- ## Transcript The state of Florida in the USA is known for tourism and entertainment, so much so that tourism is the #1 industry in the state of Florida. This is likely because the state is surrounded on two sides by ocean, and is the southernmost state among the 48 contiguous states of the USA. This rewards the visitor with beautiful tropical Carl Weathers the majority of days of the year except for the winter when it is wet for a few hours a day but very nice the other 20 hours of the day. The most popular part of the state of Florida for vacations is the Atlantic (east) coast with the Gulf (west) coast being a close second. Because they are so popular, they are crowded and forget about dinner in a high end restaurant without reservations literally months in advance. Up until recently, a well kept secret was Florida’s “third” coast, also called the Emerald Coast. Not that many years ago, price-conscious vacationers and condo owners looked to Florida’s Emerald Coast for bargains in hotels, Airbnb’s, condos and short waits for a table at great restaurants featuring local seafood and exotic cocktails. Unfortunately, the word has gotten out to post-COVID travellers and things are not what they used to be on the Emerald Coast, but the situation is far better for tourists in Pensacola, Destin, Miramar Beach and Santa Rosa Beach than Daytona Beach, Miami, Tampa, and St. Petersburg. So, come with me on a tour of a few great Pinball and Arcade destinations in and around Destin, Florida. **The Local Market**950 Gulf Shores Drive, Destin, FL 850-460-8979 [localmarketdestin.com](https://www.localmarketdestin.com) [![The Local Market in Destin, FL](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/01-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/01-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) The Local Market in Destin, FL * *All Star Baseball* (Valley-Dynamo and Gizmo Game Design, 2018) * *Attack From Mars* (Remake LE – Chicago Gaming, 2017) * *Godzilla* (Pro) (Stern, 2021) * *Halloween* (CE) (Spooky, 2021) * *JunkYard* (Williams, 1996) Broken * *Jurassic Park* (Premium) (Stern, 2019) * *Monster Bash* (Remake LE) (Chicago Gaming, 2018) * *Popeye Saves the Earth* (Bally, 1994) * *Star Wars* (Pro) (Stern, 2017) The Local Market is an excellent breakfast and lunch place featuring fruit smoothies, sandwiches, salads and other American comfort foods. You can order and pay at the counter and they will bring your meal to you. [![The Local Market's specials and sandwiches boards above the order counter](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/03-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x712.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/03-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) The Local Market’s specials and sandwiches boards above the order counter There is also a separate bar area with wines, local micro brews and popular macro brews, but more about that later. One of the Local Market’s most popular sandwiches is the grilled Pimento Cheese with your choice of side. The Pimento Cheese sandwich was of course made famous at Augusta National Golf Club, Home of the Masters. The Local Market takes it one step further by grilling it in butter, with the attendant increase in calories and flavor. Their cold deli style sandwiches looked great and probably healthier as well. [![The sandwiches selection](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/07-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x614.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/07-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) The sandwiches selection [![How about some all-day breakfast instead?](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/06-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/06-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) How about some all-day breakfast instead? There is a large selection of locally brewed small batch beers, wines and soft drinks available in both the dining room and the bar. If you are dining in, there is convenient cooler with the beer and soft drink selections for you to peruse. There are two pinballs in the main dining area and Dennis Nordman’s *All Star Baseball* updated pitch and bat game. [![Attack from Mars and Star Wars in the dining area](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/08-pinspotting-may-2022-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/08-pinspotting-may-2022-768x1024.jpg) Attack from Mars and Star Wars in the dining area [![All Star Baseball by Valley Dynamo](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/09-pinspotting-may-2022-707x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/09-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) All Star Baseball by Valley Dynamo The other 6 games are in the bar area and aren’t visible unless you are in the bar itself. One of the games was out of order waiting for parts, but the others were clean and in excellent condition. [![Jurassic Park, Godzilla and Monster Bash remake](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/04-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/04-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Jurassic Park, Godzilla and Monster Bash remake [![Halloween Junkyard and Popeye Saves the Earth](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/05-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/05-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Halloween JunkYard and Popeye Saves the Earth There was no change machine that I saw, but the bartender is happy to make change for you. Prices were $1 per game or 3 games for $2. [![Yes, it is!](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/02-pinspotting-may-2022-768x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/02-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Yes, it is! **Honeybee Ice Cream & The Hive Arcade** 703 John Sims Parkway, Niceville, FL, 32578 (619) 565-0365 [honeybeeicecreamandarcade.com](https://www.honeybeeicecreamandarcade.com/) [![Honeybee Ice Cream & The Hive Arcade](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/17-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x697.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/17-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Honeybee Ice Cream & The Hive Arcade * *Freddy: A Nightmare on Elm Street* (Gottlieb, 1994) * *Haunted House* (Gottlieb, 1982) * *Pin-Bot* (Williams, 1986) * *Tales from the Crypt* (Data East, 1993) [![The ice cream service counter](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/19-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x703.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/19-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) The ice cream service counter Honeybee Ice Cream and The Hive Arcade was established in 2019 by owner Duke Higgs so that teenagers in his community would have a place to go since there were no similar entertainment venues available. Unfortunately about the time that they were going to have their grand opening, COVID shut down North America and they had to delay the opening to late 2021. Higgs chose the honeybee theme after noticing that other family oriented arcades had their signature mascot animals. Honeybee Ice Cream’s mascot is named Bee Havin and is actually an adult in a plush costume. Bee Havin is available for parties and sometimes makes appearances to interact with the children on the weekends. Both inside and outside the beehive theme seems like it is everywhere with a ‘honeycomb’ pattern neatly painted even on the light switch plates. In spite of the fact that Honeybee Ice Cream has a number of other treats available, by far the most popular is ice cream. Their premium ice cream is made by the Cedar Crest company in the state of Wisconsin. They order their ice cream once a week and it is trucked to them on dry ice by FedEx. [![Samples of the ice cream treats available](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/22-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/22-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Samples of the ice cream treats available Honeybee’s most popular of the 32 flavors available is called *Superman* which, says owner Higgs, flies off the shelves; pun intended. “The kids and the adults both like that one,” Higgs said. “It has a blue moon flavor, banana flavor and a strawberry flavor.” Honeybee has 17 flavors of hand rolled ice cream and a large number of toppings to go with them. They also have 24 flavors of snow cones, freshly made pizza by the slice, hot dogs, cotton candy, boba/milk tea, and a large selection of soft drinks. Each customer booth has AC outlets as well as USB connections for the recharging of those handheld devices that teenagers, and most of us adults, seem to be attached to. [![The Hive Arcade complete with honeycomb patterns](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/20-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x733.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/20-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) The Hive Arcade complete with honeycomb patterns The Hive Arcade has over 40 stand up video, pinball and redemption games available. Most of these games are 50 cents per play, except for Dance Dance Revolution 2000 which is $1 per play and the virtual reality roller coaster simulator which is $5 per ride for two people. They also have a change machine for quarters. The Hive Arcade has two game technicians on staff but they say that getting parts for some of the 1980s and 1990s vintage games can be a challenge. [![Some of the classic arcade video games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/21-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x682.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/21-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Some of the classic arcade video games Unfortunately only one of their pinball games was operational at the time of my visit and it would have benefited from some TLC, but it played reasonably well. [![The Hive Arcade's five pinballs](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/18-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/18-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) The Hive Arcade’s five pinballs The free game and match settings were generous and I was able to play *Pin-Bot* for over an hour on one credit. I like to think Python was looking down and helping me to play well. **RadBar** 119 Staff Drive Northeast, Fort Walton Beach, FL, 32548 [theradbar.com](https://www.theradbar.com) [![Radbar in Fort Walton Beach](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/11-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/11-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) RadBar in Fort Walton Beach * *Guardians of the Galaxy* (Pro) (Stern, 2017) * *High Speed* (Williams, 1986) * *The Mandalorian* (Pro) (Stern, 2021) * *Monster Bash* (Remake LE) (Chicago Gaming, 2018) * *Star Wars* (Pro) (Stern, 2017) All ages until 9pm, $10 all-you-can-play classic arcade and pinball games. [![High Speed and Monster Bash remake at RadBar](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/14-pinspotting-may-2022-714x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/14-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) High Speed and Monster Bash remake at RadBar Unfortunately we were visiting the Emerald Coast on days when RadBar was not open. To be honest I have never heard of a bar that was only open a few days of the week. I was able to talk to some local pinball players to get the RadBar story. [![Pinballs and videos at RadBar](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/12-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x691.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/12-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Pinballs and videos at RadBar The universal opinion is that RadBar is a great place to play arcade games and to enjoy craft beers. I was told that their games are kept in excellent condition and have reasonable free game thresholds. [![Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars and The Mandalorian](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/13-pinspotting-may-2022-818x1024.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/13-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars and The Mandalorian The beer selection is exceptional with many choices from Florida and Louisiana craft breweries. Most are available by the can and, although I wasn’t able to verify this, they have take-away service for their beers if you are headed to the beach or out boating. [![A selection of their craft beers](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/15-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x768.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/15-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) A selection of their craft beers [![More craft beer with some of their video games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/16-pinspotting-may-2022-1024x710.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/pinspotting-may-2022/16-pinspotting-may-2022.jpg) More craft beer with some of their video games I contacted RadBar and they gave me permission to use photos from their website with this review. I hope sometime soon to return to this area to get a first person impression of RadBar. **Summary:** There is a lot for the tourist to like about Florida’s Emerald Coast. It has most of the amenities of the more well known Florida coasts, but without as many people visiting. That there are also good choices for the pinball player is a welcome bonus. How long this will be true is unknown because we saw quite a bit of development of both condos and resort properties that was in progress. More building means more people and, of course, more congestion and longer waits for a table at dinner. So, if you can possibly arrange it, I’d suggest that you visit Florida’s Emerald Coast this year or next summer at the latest so that you can enjoy the same carefree and casual charm that we experienced. Here are some other non-pinball locations to consider visiting on Florida’s Emerald Coast: * **Miramar Beach** – Scenic oceanside beach. Clean and beautiful. * **Blue Mountain Bakery** – Coffee and breakfasts * **Crackings** – Breakfast and juice bar * **Macho Taco Cantina** – Southwest-style dining * **Perfect Pig Grill and Fish House** – Fine dining al fresco _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 62d0c5b8-939a-4fa3-ac11-628b980a16fd*