By Maddy Vitale
Jilly’s Arcade soon will be offering its customers another way to enjoy the more than 118 retro and new games and amusements at the Ocean City Boardwalk staple tucked inside a historic landmark building with a distinctive dome ceiling.
Fun Cards will be introduced this summer season as a way to play without coins or cash. A customer will “load” cash from a credit card onto the new card and never have to worry about getting change or the annoyance or costliness of ATM fees.
The iconic business established in 1976 at 1168 Boardwalk is owned by the Levchuk family, brothers Jody and Randy, and their parents, Jill and Paul. They are always looking for ways to make the family experience even better at the arcade, Jody Levchuk said Tuesday.
“You could load as much money on the card as you like. It never expires. Every year we buy top new equipment. This is just another piece of equipment,” Levchuk said, noting it will add convenience for the customers.
He continued, “This is another way for customers to be able to pay. It makes our lives easier because we have less change to count and wrap, and there are a lot of great things about the cards for the customers.”
The Fun Cards are also great for gift-giving, Levchuk said.
David Feaster, of Philadelphia, and his wife, Stephanie, make it a point to bring their children, Estelle, 10, and Willie, 6, to Ocean City for a weeklong vacation in August. On Tuesday, the kids had off from school.
“We thought we’d come down for the day,” David Feaster said.
He packed up the car and away they went to Ocean City to enjoy a beautiful day on the Boardwalk.
Their favorite stop – Jilly’s Arcade.
The kids quickly started to play their favorite games of Skee Ball and then a basketball game, where the siblings rivaled each other making many of the shots.
“I think the cards would be great,” David Feaster said of the Fun Cards. “It would make it a lot easier. When we got down here, I realized I forgot cash. I had to go to the ATM and pay a $4 fee. Using a credit card to purchase the cards would be perfect.”
Levchuk stressed that nothing will change for people who prefer to pay with dimes, quarters and dollar bills. There will continue to be the same number of change attendants who will also be able to give assistance if anyone has a question about their Fun Cards.
This just adds another way to enjoy the arcade, Levchuk said.
It is also a good way to monitor how much spending when hosting or attending a birthday or other celebration at the arcade, he said.
Levchuk, who has two daughters, ages 6 and 5, said he has wanted to provide this type of Fun Card system since he started bringing his children to the arcade.
“I have thought we needed the card system ever since my children started playing here. I felt the need for this,” he said.
“I’m so excited for special events and birthday parties,” he continued. “There is a need for these cards. We have a huge school system in Ocean City and there are birthdays and other celebrations at Jilly’s Arcade. We hope people see how easy the cards are to use for these events.”
Levchuk explained how much easier the new cards will be to use compared to cash or coins. “If you have gone to the Wawa and ordered a sandwich, that is how easy it is to use a Fun Card,” he said.
He added that it is also the same concept as going to the ATM, minus the fees.
Levchuk said the new card system will be operational soon. At that time, he said the plan is to start handing out $5 Fun Cards to test them out and get customer feedback.
He said in the future, the cards, like credit cards, will be able to rack up rewards points. If a Fun Card is lost, all a person has to do is notify Jilly’s Arcade and provide the number on the card.
It could be as simple as a photo of the card on someone’s cellphone, or they could make up a profile of the card.
The automated system will enable Jilly’s to furnish a new card for the customer with the unused amount that was on the old card.
For more information visit www.jillysocnj.com.
