At the height of pandemic lockdowns, the owners of Cinema 6 in Port Richey were ready to lose everything. Through sheer will and hard work, they survived and are now expanding into a one-stop shop for family entertainment.
ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska profiled the family-run movie theater in Port Richey in 2020.
The theaters were empty, and the screens were silent. Fast-forward to 2025, and Cinema 6 is louder than ever, with a full arcade.
"We always wanted to have an arcade. It was just finding the place and being able to do it. This had never been opened before; the business here didn't survive the pandemic. It was a golf place, and he had a hard time getting product in since the pandemic," Casteel said.
The arcade has a redemption stand, an ice cream bar, self-pour wine, beer, cider, and seltzer wall. People can play games and then watch a movie.
Casteel is also rebranding, calling it Level Up Entertainment Center, an expansion of Cinema 6 that focuses on the arcade rather than the movies.
"You had to take this risk because Hollywood's too risky?" Paluska asked.
"Yeah, we needed something else to feed us economically, or we're going out of business, and all my employees will be out of a job. You know what I mean? It's like, they don't put out good movies. We don't have customers. The landlord still wants to get paid," Casteel said.
Casteel, her partner Jason Dover, and their daughter Ella Dover all worked together to make the arcade happen. Ella is a high schooler hoping to take the family business to the next level.
"Come here. We're the cheapest place to come around to, but it's still so much fun. We don't rip people off, you know, our prices are super low for everything around here, and it's just the best place to be for summer," Ella said. "Next year, hopefully, we're gonna have another spot open, and this place will be off the charts, more people will notice it, and then hoping to get it filled up from there."
The arcade is currently open on weekends. It plans to have a grand opening timed around the first big summer blockbuster and stay open seven days a week.
