In 1997, Venture Shuffleboard purchased the assets of a larger, more established shuffleboard company and went full steam ahead with the goal of securing a solid place in the gaming industry.
Today, Venture Games, LLC, through the tireless efforts of Chris and Lizz McKay and their dedicated team, is a second generation, family-owned business, proud that every piece of equipment they produce is American-made. At the start, they were committed to creating a superior shuffleboard table and accessories, and hold true to that commitment today. Every game table they produce is lovingly crafted by a skilled expert who is passionate about their craft. They thrive because of their strong family work ethic and their dedication to domestic construction.
In 2016, their work was featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle magazine, and their custom shuffleboards and other gaming tables are used in bars, lounges, arcades and corporate offices across the country.
I was born into it. As a kid I was always around my dad who worked with his hands and owned a manufacturing shop. I used to build things for my Matchbox cars or BMX bike when I was young because my dad built things. I began working in my dad’s shop when I was 12 and when I started making the shuffleboard’s it was like they were meant for me. I was able to be really creative and build these amazing tables.
What I enjoy most about making game tables is creating new designs. When creating a new design you have to work through the whole design from the visual look of a table, playability and stability, and how to make those things all come together in one piece is oftentimes a challenge to get everything just right.
I have found that those people who create with their hands are the ones innovating and pushing their craft forward. Those craftsmen become the ones that their given industry looks towards for inspiration.
I cannot say that handmade is better than manufactured, just different. Different in the way that handmade goods have an authenticity and soul to them. You know that when you buy a handmade something that the craftsman put their best effort forward, and that there is not another one exactly like it anywhere.
The future is wide open for shuffleboards and games of that nature. There is a real demand for cool games that bring people together. The fact that people really are responding to our higher, more furniture designs is really gratifying. It feels good when people like what you make.