CHAMBER HOSTS RIBBON CUTTING FOR DAGO’S IN CENTRAL CITY

Dago’s

1159 N. Polar St., Centralia, IL

The Centralia Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting Thursday to celebrate the opening of Dago’s, a new restaurant and video gaming business in Central City.

The ribbon cutting was attended by chamber members, officials with the Village of Central City, the business’s staff, and friends of owner Mike Atchison, including members of his longtime rock n’ roll band, The Sound Waves.

Atchison, a Centralia native who left the community in 1985, said he decided to open the establishment - named after his late father - after retiring from the insurance industry and returning to his hometown earlier this year.

“I wanted to come back,” Atchison said. “I need something to do, and this started to take on a life of its own.”

Atchison said his new business is more than just a video gaming destination, and that he hopes it will help inspire others to invest in the community.

“It’s not just gaming. There’s also food, drink, rock n’ roll, the whole thing,” said Atchison, who explained that he one day hopes to add a stage to host concerts and large crowds. “My goal was to help inspire other people to invest back into the community. If that works in any way, then my job is done.”

With a staff of 11 part-time employees, the new business is now open from 7:00 AM until 11:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and from 11:00 AM until 10:00 PM on Sundays.

The dining room, described as child-friendly, will close at 8:00 PM every evening.