A ribboncutting ceremony Friday, Nov. 21, celebrated Royal Arcade, a new arcade space inside local ice cream shop Roiel Scoop at 316 N. Sixth St., Rochelle.

Royal Arcade features various arcade games, including pinball, Skee-Ball, claw machines and more along with darts, pool tables and a jukebox. The space is a collaboration with Star Worlds Arcade, a longtime DeKalb business that has expanded to new locations.

Roiel Scoop is owned by Jon and Marcela Nuyen, and opened in June 2024. Marcela Nuyen said the business is always looking to bring new activities for the community, and is looking at adding an outside climbing wall in the summer for kids.

“We’ve never had more support anywhere we’ve lived or with anything we’ve ever done than we do here in Rochelle,” Jon Nuyen said. “We really appreciate all the people that come here. We look forward to being of service to people and we hope they enjoy our environment. It’s clean, fun and safe. It’s a good move for all involved.”

The ribboncutting ceremony was hosted by the Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and the city of Rochelle. Speakers included Chamber Executive Director Tricia Herrera and Rochelle Mayor John Bearrows. Herrera said she was excited about the new arcade space and thanked the Nuyens for their forward thinking.

“If you come into any space with Marcela, you will leave smiling,” Herrera said. “She is a great, positive person and we love having that as part of the chamber. She’s always thinking of ideas and what can be done to expand. We love to have that as part of the chamber as well. Thank you both for your investment in so many businesses. You’re a huge part of all of our events and you support athletics at the high school. We are honored to have you in our membership and we’re excited for many more things to come.”

Bearrows thanked Herrera for her work on organizing ribboncuttings and said the new arcade space being family friendly is positive for the community.

“This isn’t just a space for machines and games,” Bearrows said. “This is a space for a family to get together. It’s a family-friendly, fun, safe zone. That’s the type of thing we want to see in our community. We’re so thankful that you did it. We like your positive attitude and your willingness to try new things.

“This reminds me of back in the day. It gives our young people a place to go. On behalf of the city, we thank you so much and we look forward to being your partner and seeing you thrive.”