The state’s first Dave & Busters is set to open Monday at Huntington Mall

BARBOURSVILLE, W.Va. (WCHS) — There are about 150 Dave & Busters, but until now there has never been one in West Virginia.

On Monday at 11 a.m., Dave & Busters in the Huntington Mall will officially open its doors to its first guests.

“Expect a great time,” said David Willey, general manager of Dave & Busters. “It’s the perfect place for kids to play video games. We host a lot of birthday parties. We have phenomenal food, so all ages can come and play games, watch sports and hang out with friends.”

The more than 2,000 m² area offers 150 arcade and interactive games as well as a large restaurant and bar area with large TVs showing sports and entertainment programs.

Willey said they have hired about 170 employees so far, who completed training last week.

“This mall here is very, very busy and draws about 80,000 people every weekend, so Dave & Busters has been looking at this for some time,” Willey said. “We were looking at this location before COVID, but when COVID came along, it put things on hold and we’re excited to get back into the market.”

Barboursville Mayor Chris Tatum said it has been seven years in the making and he is excited to welcome another anchor tenant to the mall and an attractive location for Barboursville.

“I think retailers and restaurant owners know we have the traffic they need to be successful here,” Tatum said. “We’ve become a hub, and it’s just another piece of the puzzle for us to add another piece of quality of life to this area.”

On Monday, the first 100 people in line will get a day of free play. The Barboursville location also offers specials throughout the week, including half-price games on Wednesday. Service Industry Night is on Sundays with happy hour pricing, and College Night is on Thursdays, also with happy hour pricing.

The Barboursville location’s hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday. It stays open until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Because its hours are longer than the mall’s, Willey said the entrance next to Cinemark is the best way for visitors to get in and out when the mall is closed.

Willey also said there is a dedicated event manager who can help with birthday parties, corporate parties and even events where a company can rent the entire venue for parties or team building activities.

“We’re excited to be part of the community,” he said. “We’re excited to be near Marshall, where all the college kids can come and have fun and just be excited to get started.”