Rachel Shuster\

Located at 57 Highland Street in Worcester, Savepoint Tavern is the city’s very own video gaming bar. Owner and manager, Brian Huff knows a thing or two about not only gaming, but also about the hospitality industry. “I’ve been in the business for 22 years, including the former Director of Food and Beverage at the AC Marriott here in Worcester,” Huff says. The idea of Savepoint came about around six years ago. “I began to tinker with the idea of my own place, that can embody some other things I am passionate about besides food and beverage – i.e. gaming,” Huff says. “My friends and I grew up gaming, we meet regularly to game once a month. I realized that there’s no place that caters to that need in Worcester. It’s going from one house to another – there seems to be a run around. It’s a distraction from just getting together and gaming.” With this in mind, it was a night out with his wife where things began to take shape. “My wife and I were in one of our favorite restaurants and we were watching the crowd,” Huff says. “We thought, ‘What if we were here gaming and eating at the same time? Most people just go to bars and are on their phones not engaging with each other. With gaming, there is more engagement. We thought it would be a killer thing if there was a place that could do that simultaneously.” From there, Huff, a Florida native who took a chance on a road trip north and ended up in the Boston area where he and his wife met, and his wife took that concept and ran with it. “Last year, we decided to pull the trigger and make magic happen,” Huff added. When entering Savepoint, which opened on October 23, you will be greeted by either Huff or his wife, and they’ll give you the run down of how the space works. “There is a five dollar cover charge which covers all the old school equipment and game consoles like Xbox 360 and PS3s,” Huff says. “There is an additional charge for newer consoles,” he adds. Savepoint is a 21+ spot after 9 p.m. to ensure everyone is playing and drinking nicely! “We have an inverted U-shaped bar with bar stools showcasing local draft beers and a great craft beer selection – most of which comes from New England. We also make all of our mixes in-house,” Huff says. “We want to keep everything as local and artisanal as possible. Even many of our liquors are from MA.” In the space you’ll also see the game consoles and a variety of stations with couches, big screen TVs, all with consoles that are labeled so you know which is which! “Each system/station has food menus and gaming menus so you can choose not only what you want to eat, but what you want to play!” Huff says. The menus are ever-growing based on patron feedback. “We have really nice couches, coffee tables, etc.,” Huff says. “It’s a relaxed atmosphere and we use a Kallpod system where you press a button if you need assistance and our staff will come to you so you’re not constantly looking around for assistance. We want you to be comfortable and not feel like you’re being bothered.” Huff wants to make sure that patrons feel at home at Savepoint. “The floor is yours!,” he says. “We encourage people to move around from station to station. It’s an interactive environment and we want everyone to try a lot of things.” As for the food, you can expect gamer favorites on another level. “We like to call it ‘artisanal gamer food,’” Huff says. The menu includes quesadillas, corn dogs, salads, flatbreads and a burger. While these might sound pretty straightforward, it’s that artisanal kick that takes the food to the next level. “It’s elevated food, much of it made in-house, from scratch,” Huff says. “Our burger has melted brie cheese, caramelized onions and a bacon bourbon jam. Our corn dogs are made to order with house made corn batter. Every item on the menu has an inhouse made aspect.” What’s even better? Every delicious item on the menu is under $16! Huff and his team are also starting to work on private events. “We have already gotten inquiries about company events and birthday parties,” he says. “We also plan on creating events like cocktails and controllers where we partner with local liquor companies and brewers and gamers, partnering with local beer companies to promote and talk about their beer,” Huff adds. The most important thing to Huff and his team? Creating a community. “Community is so important to us,” he says. “We are working hard to partner with the community and organizations like the American Cancer Society. We want to create a place where people feel comfortable to stay and socialize. We want to bring people together to have a great time.”