Sawmill Square Shopping Center in Laurel, Mississippi, opened in 1979 and featured an Aladdin’s Castle arcade near its main entrance. Local newspaper ads from the mid-1980s highlight its presence alongside anchor stores like JCPenney and Sears.
Residents recall birthday parties held under the neon glow of Galaga and Pac-Man cabinets, and the distinctive smell of popcorn that drifted from the concession stand.
The arcade closed around 2002 when the mall underwent a major remodeling; today its former space houses a specialty retailer, but older Laurelites still reminisce fondly on those token-powered afternoons.