Aladdin’s Castle: Oakdale Mall

No. 44 at Oakdale Mall in Johnson City, New York, opened in 1975, and its Aladdin’s Castle arcade appeared by the early 1980s along the east wing near the Sears entrance. It boasted token machines, Skeeball lanes, and video favorites like Ms. Pac-Man and Donkey Kong.

Town historical society newsletters from 1992 describe the arcade as a key youth spot, drawing teenagers after school and hosting unofficial Pac-Man speed runs.

After the mall’s decline and partial closure in 2009, the arcade vanished; the space now accommodates seasonal vendors. Still, Johnson City forums keep its memory alive with scanned snapshots of AC’s retro marquee.