Indoor Nerf gaming venue gains new owners

An indoor gaming venue in south Springfield centered on Nerf gun battles has new ownership.

Lisa Clay said she and her husband, Chris, became first-time business owners Jan. 1 following the purchase of The War Zone Springfield LLC from Vanessa Grimaldi. Clay said they paid $20,000 for the venture, which includes its website along with all furniture and equipment. Grimaldi in early 2021 launched the indoor game concept near the intersection of Walnut Lawn Street and Campbell Avenue, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

The business, which moved in November 2023 to 3322 S. Campbell Ave., Ste. B, remains in Sheid’s Plaza. When Clay caught word a couple months ago that Grimaldi intended to sell The War Zone, she said her interest in owning the business was immediate.

“We know what a benefit it is,” Clay said, adding the couple’s sons, Jacob, 15, and John, 13, began playing at The War Zone soon after it opened. “We wanted that to continue for our community, so we jumped on that.”

The War Zone offers games for ages 5 and older, with Nerf gun, ammunition and safety glasses provided for all players. Hourly open play is $15 and birthday parties range $270-$625, according to its website. Clay said they plan to review pricing with the desire to possibly lower costs.

“We’re trying to look at that and kind of price ourselves reasonably,” she said. “We don’t want to undercut other businesses, but we also don’t want to outprice ourselves.”

The couple has taken over Grimaldi’s lease with Sandy Harrel of McLoud & Co. LLC. Clay said the lease is set to end in April.

“We’re going to see how these first few months go, but we’re going to hope for a multi-year lease,” she said.

Other than getting help from a part-time worker, Clay said she and her husband are the only employees at The War Zone. Clay said her work there is in addition to maintaining employment at Foster Adopt Connect Inc., where she serves as program manager for behavioral intervention. She’s worked at the nonprofit for five years, adding her husband also is a part-time courier with HealthDirect Pharmacy in Ozark.

Clay said she wants the couple’s ownership of the business to be something that will inspire their children, who help at the venue. She said that includes 5-year-old son Kevin, who is “our ammo picker-upper.”

“It’s just a place where they can be accepted and be a kid and be loud and run,” she said of The War Zone’s goal for its younger customers. “And the joy it brought our kids, we wanted them to have something they can be proud of as well.”