The building at 123 International Boardwalk that once housed the Redondo Fun Factory — empty since October 2019 — could become a bowling alley, arcade, bistro restaurant, and sports bar under a deal the Redondo Beach City Council approved Tuesday, July 21.
The council voted on its consent calendar to enter an exclusive negotiating agreement with Multiverse, which operates Level Up Bowl & Bistro, giving both sides time to hammer out lease terms for the waterfront space. The agreement does not obligate the city to sign a lease, according to a city staff report, but establishes a framework to evaluate the project and negotiate.
"I am excited to bring something new, exciting, locally owned and family-oriented to this space," Mayor Jim Light wrote on Facebook after the vote. "I am hopeful we can come to mutually agreeable terms by the end of the ENA."
City staff have up to three months to draft a lease agreement. Counting from the July 21 vote, that window would extend into late October. A formal lease negotiation period with Level Up would follow.
The Fun Factory's 47-year run
The Fun Factory opened in 1972 and became a pier landmark for generations of South Bay families. Its Tilt-a-Whirl spun riders for as little as 50 cents a ticket. Rows of Skee-Ball alleys and classic arcade games filled the space alongside old-school carnival attractions.
Owner Steve Shoemaker also operated the adjacent Fun Fish Market & Restaurant. Both closed on Sunday, October 13, 2019, after the city reached a $9 million settlement with Shoemaker in 2017 to buy back the property for a broader waterfront redevelopment. That larger project was later thwarted by court disputes, leaving the building vacant for years.
"I fought this eviction very hard for over a year and finally it's just...it's over," Shoemaker told Spectrum News on the arcade's final day in October 2019.
What comes next
In 2024, the council approved earthquake modifications and filled the pit where the Tilt-a-Whirl once sat. Once that work wrapped in early 2026, the city began seeking new tenants.
The building was originally constructed as part of the pier parking structure, according to a city staff report, and will need significant analysis to determine the scope of converting it into a new entertainment venue.
Level Up already operates a similar location at The Avenues shopping center in Rolling Hills Estates, where it offers 14 bowling lanes, more than 50 arcade games, pool tables, and a full bistro with craft cocktails and beer.
No timeline for a final lease vote has been announced. Residents can watch for updates at future City Council meetings as the three-month drafting window unfolds.
