Aladdin’s Castle: Merle Hay Mall

This particular Aladdin’s Castle was a special experiment for the brand. It was quite massive, with two stories of arcade games and entertainment in 11,315 square feet! It had over 150 of the latest arcade games and included a “Bally’s Playground for Learning and Fun”, an educational computer labe designed for kids 10 years old and younger. This location opened with much fanfare on October 29, 1981 near the Montgomery Ward anchor store. It survived the early 80s arcade crash, lasting nearly a decade. It likely closed in late 1989 or early 1990. The last newspaper mention was October 12 1989 and by the time Video Paradise surveyed the industry in 1991, it was gone.