LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are thousands of claw machine arcades throughout Asia and Japan, but none in Kentucky.
Until now.
Louisville businessman Jack Zheng told our partners at Louisville Business First that he plans to open the Claw Zone in early spring at 5629 Outer Loop. The 5,500-square-foot arcade will feature more than 80 claw machines with different prizes, such as plushies and Asian drinks and snacks.
Zheng, who owns two furniture stores in Louisville, said he's investing about $800,000 in the business that he decided to open after noticing how popular the claw arcades are, as he traveled through Japan and China. Similar arcades have been popping up in big cities like New York, Chicago and Las Vegas and Texas.
The Claw Zone will be Kentucky's first arcade dedicated to Japanese claw machines.
"I’ve seen so many of them throughout the malls [in Asia] and I hadn’t seen anything like that over here in the states," Zheng told Louisville Business First. "We’re mainly focusing on just arcade claw machines and maybe a few other things. …But essentially it will be 95% claw machines. It's not going to be rigged. We’re going to make it skill based and when people spend money they’re going to win stuff out of the machines."
Zheng said patrons will have the option of trading in multiple prizes for bigger prizes, such as giant plushies.
Zheng said Louisville's Claw Zone will initially employ three to four people, and he hopes to eventually open similar arcades in Lexington and southern Indiana.
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