An Old Colorado City vintage bar arcade is trading joysticks for cue sticks.

Nova West, at 1124 W. Colorado Ave., is being remodeled into Mr. Billiards, a pool hall and bar expected to open in August.

Owner Joe Campana is no stranger to the billiards business.

Campana also owns The Crooked Cue, a downtown Colorado Springs billiards hall that opened two years ago, adding to his hospitality portfolio that includes the SuperNova arcade bar, The Rabbit Hole, STIR Coffee & Cocktails, Bonny & Read Seafood, Cork & Cask, Shame & Regret, Shrunken Head Tiki Bar and Liquid Courage Karaoke.

Mr. Billiards will bring a similar concept to Old Colorado City, where Campana said there are few entertainment options beyond shopping and dining.

“I’m trying to bring something to do in OCC,” he said. “There’s really nothing to do here except shop and a couple restaurants. This area needs an anchor.”

Mr. Billiards will feature 10 Diamond pool tables — two 9-foot tables and eight 7-foot tables — along with shuffleboard, league play, weekend tournaments and billiards accessories. Campana said he also hopes to add darts if the space allows.

The Nova West arcade games are currently in storage and will be used at SuperNova as needed.

The new business will continue serving food, such as burgers, fries and other bar fare, from a remodeled kitchen.

This isn’t the first time Campana has made the decision to pivot a business concept. Campana closed STIR downtown in 2025, but rather than leave the space empty, he expanded the neighboring Bonny & Read.

He said his decision to remodel the Nova West space comes as restaurant operators navigate rising expenses and shifting consumer spending habits that have, in his experience, made operating “blue-collar” bars challenging. “OCC has been really slow for the last two years,” he said. “I’ve been talking to many owners and they are all saying the same thing.”

“Our insurance is skyrocketing. Energy, water, everything that we touch in the restaurant business is skyrocketing,” he said. “People are drinking less alcohol now. Alcohol is very expensive.” 

Campana’s experience aligns with broader local and national industry trends.

According to previous Gazette reporting, local commercial real estate experts say restaurants continue to contend with rising food, labor and insurance costs while consumers have become more selective about discretionary spending.

National data points to similar trends. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2026 State of the Restaurant Industry report, more than 9 in 10 full-service restaurant operators cited food, labor, inflation and insurance costs as significant challenges in 2025, while more than 8 in 10 reported higher energy and utility costs.

The report also noted that customers are increasingly price-conscious, even as demand for dining and social experiences remains strong. More than 6 in 10 restaurant operators reported lower customer traffic in 2025 than the year before, while more than 4 in 10 consumers said they were dining out less often because of tighter household budgets.

“It’s too expensive to go out and drink nowadays,” said Campana.

A Bank of America restaurant industry report similarly found that consumers are placing greater emphasis on value and experiences while operators continue to face persistent cost pressures. 

Campana believes billiards fits these shifts. 

He said billiards offers customers an affordable entertainment option, particularly during slower seasonal periods in Old Colorado City.

“It’s actually cheap to play,” Campana said. “You and your husband or boyfriend could come in here and have burgers and an hour of pool and be out for $50 or $60. I think it’s great. 

Pool tables also require less maintenance than arcade games, Campana said. Recovering a table each year costs about $300, and he can do much of the work himself, while maintaining aging arcade machines has become increasingly expensive. 

Mr. Billiards is set to open the first or second week of August at 1124 W. Colorado Ave.