Kirby’s Beer Store now has a sister business right next door: Kirby’s FlipSide
For more than half a century, Kirby’s Beer Store has been known as the hip, Wichita State University-adjacent dive bar that manages to be a big live music draw despite its teeny-tininess.
Now, Kirby’s has a sister business.
Recently, Kirby’s co-owner and pinball enthusiast Ryan Bell opened a pinball arcade called Kirby’s FlipSide immediately to the west of Kirby’s, taking over part of a big space that was most recently home to a laundromat. The business, which he says will offer players an “elevated pinball experience,” started its soft opening on July 25 and will celebrate its grand opening on Aug. 12. In the meantime, the doors are open.
The new business at 3227 E. 17th St., which at 600 square feet is exactly the same size as Kirby’s, is filled with 17 pinball machines that will cycle in and out (and Bell has a couple more machines next door at Kirby’s that people can play as well.) Among the themed machines he has on the floor now are The Sopranos, Indiana Jones, Rick and Morty, Star Wars, Halloween and a Beatles-themed machine.
Only people ages 21 and over are allowed in the arcade, which has lush new carpet, tables for lounging with adult beverages and pizza purchased next door at Kirby’s, and sound dampening panels that will allow the players to experience all the noises the machines make — something Bell says he’s found lacking at arcades he’s visited across the country. Within the next few weeks, several of the machines will be fitted with headphone jacks as well.
“All my feedback from everybody so far is that people are just loving it,” he said. “You can have 10 people playing pinball machines, and you can sit and have a conversation and don’t have to yell. We have a nice HVAC that chills it down. Everything about it is comfortable and you don’t have kids running around screaming.”
Bell is also the owner of Bell Pinball Service, which not only rents machines out to people for home use but also services other businesses. He owns about 55 machines and will be able to keep the selections fresh.
He said people have described Kirby’s Flipside as having a “swanky Kirby’s vibe.”
Pinball play is affordable at the business, he said, and people have options for how to pay. They can purchase a card at a kiosk, Dave & Buster’s style, and as an introductory summer price, people can get two hours of play for $10. Bell is hoping that people will play a few games, pop over to Kirby’s to hear a few songs performed by whichever live band is playing, then maybe return to the arcade for another couple of games.
People who don’t want to stay for two hours can get credits loaded onto their cards, Bell said. Each game will cost about 50 to 75 cents to play.
The arcade is mostly automated, and even though it’s right next door to Kirby’s, there’s no adjoining door. People will have to step outside to go between the two businesses, but it’s okay to take their drinks, Bell said. He also will offer free video game play on a multicade system and free virtual pinball for anyone who is paying to play at the arcade.
“It’s an elevated pinball experience, and not only for Wichita,” Bell said. “I don’t know that I can say there’s anything like this in the entire country.”
Kirby’s FlipSide — which like the bar next door is co-owned by Bell’s wife, Tanisha Bell, and Alex Thomas — opens at 4 p.m. seven days a week, and the games are programmed to turn off at 1:30 a.m.
The grand opening on Aug. 12 will include five bands — Delano, Tom Page, Honky Tonk Devils, Zac Crow and El Jefe— that will play at Kirby’s throughout the day plus free barbecue and a pinball tournament with cash prizes.
This story was originally published August 2, 2023 at 3:03 PM.
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