Gold Mine: Hickory Hollow Mall

Operating within the Hickory Hollow Mall in Antioch, Tennessee, in space 201, Gold Mine served as a prominent entertainment destination for the local community. Opening with the mall in 1978, this arcade was an original tenant of what was, for a time, the largest retail space in Tennessee. Gold Mine was a popular attraction within the bustling mall, offering a variety of electronic video games, pinball machines, and skee-ball lanes that characterized the golden age of arcade gaming.

As a key recreational hub, Gold Mine played a role in the social lives of Antioch’s families and youth, providing a dedicated space for entertainment and gathering. The arcade eventually underwent changes in branding, later becoming Tilt sometime between 1988 and 1991, and then Game Galaxy Arcade in 2008. The final iteration, Game Galaxy Arcade, closed its doors and relocated on June 24, 2012. The Hickory Hollow Mall itself officially closed in 2019, but memories of Gold Mine endure as a significant part of the mall’s history for many Nashville natives.

References

1. Gold Mine Hickory Hollow Mall Opening Ad, Sep 21, 1978, The Tennessean
2. Arcade Museum – The Gold Mine – Hickory Hollow Mall
3. Final newspaper mention April 25, 1988, The Tennessean