Named after the owner, Don Woodward’s nickname, Woody’s World opened in June 1981 as an arcade that featured more than 100 of the latest games, including Skeeball, Foosball, pinball and video games.
“Pinball games, too, have come of age,” Woodward told a newspaper reporter. “Double-wide and multilevel playfields are but two of the recent innovations; the technology used today has even given us pinballs that talk to the players.”
Located next to what was Erieview Amusement Park, the arcade was housed in a precast cement building of 6,000 square feet.
Competition from home video games and online gaming has cut into the arcade business, but Woody’s World remains as a scaled down operation and the back of the building houses the offices for Woodward’s various business interests.