Growing up my home arcade here in Arlington Heights, IL was "JUST FOR FUN" in the now defunct Town & Country Mall. I remember it well but seem to not have any pictures or anything. There is only the occasional blurb here and there on deadmalls and so on but no information, pictures, etc....

Anyone else in the area remember Just For Fun besides me? I found one picture online of the old entrance to the Town & Country Mall. Straight back was the theater, just before the theater was Just For Fun, and to the right of that entrance was the Garibaldi's Pizza.

Who else remembers Just For Fun???

-AJH

TownAndCountry (resized).jpg

Possible.

This was always a pretty good arcade. I think it was gone by like 1999 but they hung on to the old school arcade way of things. They never went all redemption or anything. Like all good 80's arcades they had plenty of ways to win tickets and the dude at the prize counter of course. But, they always lots of good arcade games and they were very pinball heavy. They always had the newest pins. I remember playing everything there. Whirlwind, Stargate, Safe Cracker, Medieval Madness, Mario Brothers, Monster Bash, Attack From Mars, Addams Family, Theater Of Magic, White Water, Funhouse, Cirqus Voltaire, Getaway, Taxi, No Good Gofers, Teed Off, Road Show, Fish Tales, Congo, World Cup Soccer, Champion Pub, Doctor Who, Batman Forever, Junk Yard, Diner, No Fear, Apollo 13, Dr. Dude, Game Show, Jokerz, Badcats, The Simpsons, and more. They usually had about 10 pinball machines at any one time.

I don't remember the arcade across from Burlington Coat Factory at all! How long ago was that one? You remember what it was called? I remember before it was all developed with the Trader Joes and the Barnes & Noble Etc... That there was some old motel there and don't remember what else, I thought nothing, like just overgrown lots.

I remember only seeing the occasional movie there. Was in Just For Fun all the time! Garibaldi's if it was a birthday or after little league. That Garibaldi's was the best, they had the viewing window where you could watch the pizza guy spinning and throwing the dough in the air. Oh and can't forget about Service Merchandise on the end of that mall!

Same here on PHS, graduated 98'

100%! It opened in like 81.

80 to 85 I would not remember. Born in 80 so my first memories of Just For Fun was like first grade 87. I had like every birthday from 2nd grade on there so 88 to 93 was my hay day and still went through high school until they closed in I think 99?

Totally remember those bubble windows. Pins were always right up front and to the left, prize counter to the right. So many vids throughout. Couple air hockey in the middle, skee ball along the side toward the back.

I remember the Gamer's Paradise and the ice cream place. Radio Shack was in there too!

Well I do remember very clearly that they always had the newest and best pins as soon as they came out and I remember them always being Bally/Williams heavy on pins. I can remembered playing Safe Cracker and Medieval Madness when they VERY FIRST came out.

Boy my memory is not good on this one. I don't remember the car wash. So we are talking south of Rand and West of Arlington Heights Road? I am thinking you're talking about where the Binny's is right now.

That is awesome! Did you live north of rand then?

My cousin works at Raw! (Pat L)

Hahahahahaha that is awesome! Bug him all day Monday for me! Tell him Anthony is going to drop off his Cruis'n for Eugene to fix. Needs a cap kit.

Oh man Pinetree! You still over there? You got to grow up right by pinball royalty!!!! I assume you know who. (If not PM me. I know they are sorta private.)

OHHHH OK now I know where you are talking. That's a tad farther west. I was thinking literally at the intersection.

I have now added this up!

I remember playing Fastbreak there too! They had 2 machines linked with the topper and everything. I think later on they went down to one Fastbreak.

My last memories of Just For Fun being open was like 99/2000. Could have been there longer though. I remember the movie theater closed first. And by that time the rest of the mall was dead. I THINK Garibaldi's was the last thing to go then it all sat for a few years before they revamped it with the new outdoor only layout and the bigger stores.

Played there all the time, in grade school had birthday parties there. Killer ticket/prize counter. Always trying for the Boom Box.... never got it though. Usually best we could do was the switch blade comb.

Same! I remember being totally blown away by MM. If I am remembering correctly the fast break they had was the 2 linked machines set up with the topper and everything.

I remember playing so many amazing titles there. AF, MM, Junk Yard, TOM, TZ, so many others.

In retrospect I probably didn't go there enough!