Penny Annie’s was a short-lived but fondly remembered bar/arcade hybrid in the early 1980s. Opened around 1981, it made a name for itself by featuring an array of coin-operated video games – at a time when Pac-Man and Defender were all the rage – as its main attractionarchive.org. This venue kept crowds entertained with its “video sports” theme and reportedly used the steady flow of quarters to help keep beer prices ultra-cheaparchive.orgarchive.org. In fact, alumni recall promotions like 5¢ beers, meaning one could “do real damage with a dollar” at Penny Annie’stigernet.com. The bar’s location (across from Mell Hall on campus, in a space later occupied by a Greek restaurant) made it a convenient stop for students between classes or on weekendsfacebook.com. Despite its popularity, Penny Annie’s didn’t last long – by the mid-’80s it had closed, unable to survive as the novelty wore off. Even so, it holds a special place in Clemson history as the “barcade” that briefly brought together cheap brew and arcade fun under one roof.
