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PRESS & NEWS
Fantasy Claw Arcade Teams Up With Las Vegas Headliner Mat Franco
Mat Franco brings Las Vegas magic to Fantasy Claw Arcade at Fashion Show Mall Fantasy Claw Arcade is bringing a new prize experience to our Las Vegas claw machine arcade at Fashion Show Mall. Guests can now win Mat Franco merchandise, show tickets, and VIP experiences as part of a new collaboration with the longtime Strip headliner. The partnership brings together two entertainment concepts built around creating memorable guest experiences, while giving visitors another way t
Aug 243 min read
The Wall Street Journal Spotlights the Rise of Claw Machine Arcades...and Fantasy Claw
The Wall Street Journal just confirmed what we've known all along: claw machines are back. On August 20, 2026, The Wall Street Journal published a feature on the return of the claw machine, and Fantasy Claw Arcade Managing Partner Brad Howard was part of the story. The piece, written by WSJ reporter Lily Belle Poling, traces how a once-dismissed carnival relic has become one of the fastest-growing formats in experiential retail. Modern "clawcades" stocked with plush toys, des
Aug 203 min read
Fantasy Claw Arcade Featured by Columbus Jewish News
Fantasy Claw Arcade franchise entity managing partner Brad Howard, with Todd Appelbaum and Brian Campbell, co-owners and co-operators of the Columbus location, share a moment at the June 27 grand opening at Easton Town Center. Read the full article: Fantasy Claw Arcade opens first Ohio location at Easton Fantasy Claw Arcade was recently featured by Columbus Jewish News, and the story the publication chose to tell wasn't just about a new arcade opening. It was about the relati
Jul 242 min read
Fantasy Claw Arcade Featured in CoStar: Why Claw Arcade Franchises Are Gaining Momentum
Read the full CoStar article: Claw arcades snatch up retail space as U.S. popularity grows Fantasy Claw Arcade was recently featured in a national CoStar News article about the rise of claw machine arcades in U.S. retail. For anyone researching a claw arcade franchise or watching the growth of location-based entertainment, that coverage reflects a bigger market trend: claw arcades are becoming a more established part of modern retail. In the article, CoStar examines why claw
Jul 232 min read
Fantasy Claw Arcade Opens a New Columbus Entertainment Destination in Easton Town Center
The Ohio Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, presenting Fantasy Claw Arcade with an official proclamation moments before the ribbon cutting A New Columbus Entertainment Destination Fantasy Claw Arcade officially opened its newest claw machine arcade at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio on June 27, and the response was immediate. From the moment doors opened at 10:00 a.m., the store was packed, with a line still forming ahead of the 2:00 p.m. ribbon cutting. A Grand Opening C
Jul 22 min read
Adults Buying Toys Are Driving Industry Growth. Here’s Why That Matters for Claw Arcades.
New industry data points to a broader audience for prize-based entertainment than many people assume. Ask someone to picture the typical claw arcade customer, and they will probably describe a child tugging a parent toward the machines. That picture isn’t wrong, but it leaves out a lot of people. A favorite character. A Pokémon card. The next piece in a collection. These interests don’t disappear at 18. In fact, adults buying toys are now helping drive the industry’s growth,
6 days ago3 min read
The Mall Entertainment Experience: Why Fantasy Claw Arcade Is Part of the Mall's Next Chapter
As shopping centers evolve, entertainment is playing a bigger role in why people show up. For years, the assumption about shopping malls was simple: as online shopping grew, malls would matter less. What’s actually happening is more interesting. The strongest malls aren’t just holding on. They’re evolving into something different, and the mall entertainment experience is increasingly at the center of that shift. A Market That’s Changing Shape Recent commercial real estate dat
Sep 183 min read
Fantasy Claw Arcade Teams Up With Las Vegas Headliner Mat Franco
Mat Franco brings Las Vegas magic to Fantasy Claw Arcade at Fashion Show Mall Fantasy Claw Arcade is bringing a new prize experience to our Las Vegas claw machine arcade at Fashion Show Mall. Guests can now win Mat Franco merchandise, show tickets, and VIP experiences as part of a new collaboration with the longtime Strip headliner. The partnership brings together two entertainment concepts built around creating memorable guest experiences, while giving visitors another way t
Aug 243 min read
The Wall Street Journal Spotlights the Rise of Claw Machine Arcades...and Fantasy Claw
The Wall Street Journal just confirmed what we've known all along: claw machines are back. On August 20, 2026, The Wall Street Journal published a feature on the return of the claw machine, and Fantasy Claw Arcade Managing Partner Brad Howard was part of the story. The piece, written by WSJ reporter Lily Belle Poling, traces how a once-dismissed carnival relic has become one of the fastest-growing formats in experiential retail. Modern "clawcades" stocked with plush toys, des
Aug 203 min read
5 Claw Machine Tips to Make the Most of Your Fantasy Claw Arcade Visit
A visit to Fantasy Claw Arcade is about more than choosing a machine and pressing a button. Observation, timing, positioning, and a thoughtful approach can all help guests make more informed choices and enjoy every play. To build this list, we asked Fantasy Claw Arcade team members what they see making the biggest difference on the arcade floor. These claw machine tips reflect the questions they answer, the playing habits they observe, and the practical advice they share with
Aug 54 min read
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