San Francisco Skee-Ball Champion Opens Arcade and Launches City's First League

Joey "the Cat" Mucha turns his passion for the classic arcade game into a profitable business venture.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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After years of work, San Francisco resident Joey "the Cat" Mucha has opened his own arcade in the Mission District and launched the city's first official Skee-Ball league. Mucha, a 3-time national Skee-Ball champion, started with a single machine in his home and has grown his business to include hundreds of arcade games rented out to bars across the city. His new arcade space, which used to be his warehouse, is now open for private parties and hosted the kickoff event for the new Skee-Ball league on Thursday night.

Why it matters

Skee-Ball is a beloved classic arcade game that evokes nostalgia for many, and Mucha's venture taps into that sense of fun and community. His arcade provides a unique entertainment option in San Francisco, while the new league gives local Skee-Ball enthusiasts a chance to compete and connect over their shared passion for the game.

The details

Mucha, who goes by the nickname "the Cat", first got into Skee-Ball competitively and then turned his hobby into a business renting out arcade games to bars around the city. After years of planning and overcoming construction and pandemic-related challenges, he has now opened his own dedicated arcade space in the Mission District. The arcade is primarily for private events, but it hosted the kickoff party for San Francisco's first official Skee-Ball league on Thursday night.

  • Mucha started this project in 2018.
  • The arcade opened to the public on Thursday, March 6, 2026 for the Skee-Ball league kickoff party.

The players

Joey "the Cat" Mucha

A 3-time national Skee-Ball champion who turned his passion for the game into a profitable arcade business in San Francisco.

Alisa Yee

The leader of the "Pickle Rollers" Skee-Ball team, who is excited about the new league and has been working on improving her Skee-Ball skills.

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What they’re saying

“The cat came from a nickname that I got in college, just sort of a metaphor for being on the prowl on a Thursday night. Then, when I joined the competitive Skee-Ball league, that was my alter Skee-go that I gave.”

— Joey Mucha (cbsnews.com)

“I did this as a kid. We went to Chuck E. Cheese as a kid, and I'm like, oh my God, there's a Skee league. I think it's perfect.”

— Alisa Yee, Skee-Ball player (cbsnews.com)

“This is a dream come true. Building this venue has been a lot of work but just feeling the fervor that we feel right now has really just washed over me with joy. I'm so glad to be past the construction woes and now what's happening behind me is in the future.”

— Joey Mucha (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The new Skee-Ball league will hold regular competitions at Mucha's arcade, with the first full season of play expected to begin in the coming months.

The takeaway

Mucha's venture demonstrates how a passion project can be transformed into a successful small business, providing a unique entertainment option for the local community. The new Skee-Ball league also highlights how classic arcade games can still captivate people of all ages and foster a sense of community around shared interests.