1 Comment

Gaming Bars Play Kickstarter for Funding

If Ryan Thauburn and Jonathan Niess succeed, Houston’s downtown scene will have two more levels to master.

Both men are running crowdfunding campaigns for video game-themed bars. We’re talking establishments centered entirely around video games, not just a dive with 8-bit wallpaper.

“The only things I’ve ever wanted to do in life are comedy, video games and drinking,” Thauburn said. “If I can do two out of three of those, I feel like I’m still winning.”

Thauburn wants to open Press Start, a bar across from Neil’s centered around console games.

Niess shows similar passion for his proposed bar, Warlocks Games and Beer. He and a friend decided to chase a dream and build a bar on Milby Street for all kinds of gaming.

“It ended up becoming just the perfect idea for us,” Niess said.

Niess and Thauburn have intricate plans and passion for giving Houston gamers a place to socialize and drink. However, their campaigns are struggling.

Trouble Launching

As of writing, Thauburn’s Kickstarter has collected $6,125 of its $50,000 goal with six days left. Niess has collected $1,881 of his $40,000 goal, though he has 39 days left and can keep his funds from Indiegogo.

Both men are realistic about falling short of their goals, citing publicity as an important objective.

“It’s as much about the publicity and the people seeing it as it is about actually raising,” Thauburn said.

He said the campaign has attracted attention from potential investors who could help make Press Start a reality. Even if his campaign fails, the publicity will be valuable.

“Indiegogo gives us our only source of funding at the moment,” Niess said. “We have other options for funding, but we felt like this was the right way to let people know about it.”