I’m Dustin Wilcox, owner of Wilcox Arcade in western Kentucky. If you don’t know me, I’m the sort of guy who places arcade games and bulk vending machines in venues throughout our region. A bulk vending machine, for those not aware, is one which dispenses smaller products like gumballs, candy, stickers, and capsule toys — as opposed to the larger ones which dispense snacks and drinks. As a route operator, bulk vending helps me creep into locations where a video game might not

You’re about to start seeing double — thanks to Wilcox Arcade at Know-a-Guy in Murray, Kentucky. Let’s start with some context: My coin-operated machines at Know-a-Guy currently consist of one video game, Switch ’N’ Shoot, as well as two electronic bulk vending machines. One of those bulk vending machines is black, containing an assortment of candy in two-inch capsules, and the other is red, containing Pokémon cards and Dragon Ball Z stickers. Well, I’m about to drop another

After a five-year hiatus, Wilcox Arcade will once again grace the rich ground of Christian County.   The Pink Petunia in Crofton, Kentucky — renowned for selling all manner of flowers and plants — has graciously extended to me a chunk of square footage for bulk vending purposes. (Bulk vending, as I’ve explained before, refers to small items like gumballs and stickers, as opposed to the food and drink vending you might typically picture.)   In this case, my wife Jordy and I ar

Every now and then, I feel the need to iron out certain misconceptions that have arisen regarding the Wilcox Arcade route — just me being proactive about it.   And one erroneous idea that I take extremely seriously is that my Switch ‘N’ Shoot arcade cabinet at Know-a-Guy is in any way unofficial. The truth is quite the opposite: My Switch ‘N’ Shoot arcade cabinet is 100 percent official.   But it is different from any other Switch ‘N’ Shoot arcade cabinet you’d ever see on lo

Please allow me to proclaim, without a tinge of irony, something you might find surprising: Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. All right, perhaps that sentiment seems too saccharine to you Wilcox Arcade diehards out there — but it’s far from an untruth. Especially now that I’m married, Valentine’s Day grants me yet another wonderful excuse to celebrate my love for wife, even if the occasion could be considered a tad manufactured. Hallmark holiday or not, I knew I

Full transparency: I’m the kind of business owner who believes that any update, no matter how small it may seem, is worthy of sharing with the public, because…well, I appreciate transparency.   So here’s another dose of — say it with me — transparency: This particular update is pretty miniscule in the grand scheme of life, but it at least means something to me.   With all that waffling out of the way, I wanted to let everyone know that I’ve added a new assortment of treats to

We’re not quite at a decade yet…but dang, are we close.   That’s right: Today, February 6 th , 2026, marks the ninth year Wilcox Arcade has existed — the official starting point being when I reviewed the Terminator Salvation arcade game for my blog.   In my opinion, things have come a long way since then…in a very good way. For example, although I no longer comment on the industry at large from the perch that it is the Wilcox Arcade blog, I think the uninitiated find it far l

Switch ’N’ Shoot is an arcade game with only one button — not a number of inputs you see too often. Because the way one would interface with this game is so simple, you may be wondering to yourself, “Does anyone even need an explanation of Switch ’N’ Shoot in the first place?” And to that, I reply, “Probably not…but I certainly won’t judge you if you do.” As a matter of fact, I’ll be tickled pink if this blog post entices even one additional person to play Switch ’N’ Shoot — 

Here’s a word you’ve heard from me a million times before: indie. I’m a sole proprietor, so you could say what I do with Wilcox Arcade is “indie” in nature. Beyond that surface level appraisal, I’ve also been keenly dedicated to providing greater access to “indie” arcade games here in western Kentucky. Now, what is an indie arcade game, you may ask? Well, the definition itself is pretty straightforward — as, just like any other form of media, the “indie” label designates thos

Because this message is so gravely important to me, I will repeat my headline verbatim, without paraphrasing even a single word: Wilcox Arcade is NOT a retro business. Now, I certainly don’t want to come off as abrasive: I purely wish to make my position clear, once and for all, because it’s unfortunately been misconstrued in the past. My mission is not to recreate the arcade of the 1980s but instead to provide to greater access to modern releases. In all fairness, I can see

The Wilcox Arcade route will soon stretch into McCracken County — this time, at Maiden Alley Cinema, where I’ll place a rare arcade game called The Spectre Files: Deathstalker.   Maiden Alley Cinema, for those not in the know, is an “art house” theater located in downtown Paducah, Kentucky. This staple nonprofit organization showcases to its viewership classic, foreign, and — most relevant to my mission — indie movies.   Indie arcade games were already the central focus of my

A little more than a month ago, I placed an electronic gumball machine at Epic Gamers in Fulton, Kentucky — but I never envisioned that as the end of the story.   You know me: I aim for the coin-operated video games and bulk vending machines on the Wilcox Arcade route to feel “alive” at all times, and at least at Epic Gamers, that mantra will directly benefit you, the end user.   How, you ask? Well, the owners of Epic Gamers have been generous enough to offer discounts on in-