The Deep End announces it will not renew lease in 2026

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - After a decade of service, the popular nightspot The Deep End is planning to close its doors in 2026.

The Deep End, one of the few locally owned arcades in Wichita Falls offering a family-friendly experience, is also the only arcade to offer alcohol along with it. Local artists of all genres used the spot as a venue and it became a popular spot for those looking for entertainment after dark.

“I never thought I’d get this far,” said Jason Hester, co-owner of The Deep End. “The original intentions were to just, I don’t drink, so when I go to the bars with my friends, I would just sit there like, what do y’all see in this? It’s so boring, you know, we’re just sitting here. And so I wanted to give a place where people can hang out. If you don’t drink, you can play games.”

When asked about his reasoning for closing the bar, Hester said that he was older and life has gotten too busy for him.

“When I started this, I was younger, I didn’t have a family, I had nothing but time,” Hester said. “And now as I’ve got older, I’ve got a wife and kids, and this has taken up more of my time than expected, and I want to be at home with my wife and kids.”

Bar manager Marina Lash originally applied to The Deep End on a whim but quickly fell in love with the uniqueness, working four and a half years in total. She believes there will never be another place that will match it after the video arcade bar closes its doors.

“Some places just have like a certain title on them, and this place never did. It was just like everyone could come in, everyone felt comfortable here. So I really like that about The Deep End,” Lash said.

Another local arcade owner, Marcus McGee, credits his start to The Deep End, saying that they would be losing a great venue.

“My three years of help getting it started from one geek game night to what it grew into was amazing,” McGee said. “Not only are we losing a great arcade for nightlife, but also a great venue for local bands and artists.”

The first ever performance at the venue was a heavy metal band, and Hester says their grand closing will come full circle, featuring a heavy metal show coming up on January 17th.

Due to the closing, The Deep End will be selling all of its machines. Hester said that those interested can message the business directly or visit during open hours to look.