MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – At least eight graffiti markings were found inside Aftershock Classic Arcade Bar after a man was caught on camera drawing with permanent marker on the retro bar’s screens, games and walls.
Security camera footage from Saturday showed the man entering the bar during business hours. He then immediately started using a black permanent marker drawing what appears to be a three-letter logo, with one number and a small cross using black permanent marker.
Aftershock Owner Brad Van Kauwenbergh said employees did not notice what the man was doing when he was inside the arcade.
Kauwenbergh’s business partner saw the graffiti Sunday morning and notified him. He says the clean-up could take days and cost hundreds of dollars, especially on the irreplaceable gaming machines.
“I feel disrespected,” Van Kauwenbergh said. ”It’s taking something beautiful and making it ugly.”
He started collecting vintage arcade game systems in 2000.
”I spent a lot of time restoring these machines, making them nice and presentable for our business to succeed,” he said. “And it’s not cheap!”
Caryn Kroning Knutson played skee-ball on Monday and said it was sad to see someone ruining the arcade’s experience for others.
”People shouldn’t do that because it ruins things,” she said.
Van Kauwenbergh agreed with Kroning Knutson.
”It’s just disrespectful. It’s something that is completely unnecessary and ugly,” he said. ”A lot of people really appreciate these games and most everybody that comes here is smiles all day.”
He reported the graffiti to the Madison Police Department and called his insurance company to assess the damage and start the clean-up process.
I/O Arcade Bar’s owner also said the same man has drawn the same graffiti marks inside his bar.
Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.
Copyright 2024 WMTV. All rights reserved.