Ironhenge Amusements opens for business

PRINCETON — Jim Schafer of Princeton has opened a new business designed to curb the age-old complaint of young people ... there is nothing to do in town.

Schafer recently opened Ironhenge Amusements on Backbone Road East, which not only offers electronic games but also an air hockey game, pool tables and ping pong tables.

“When my children were growing up in Princeton, they would always say there was nothing to do in town,” he said. “I want to provide a place for high school and junior high kids to come to have fun.”

In addition to indoor entertainment, Schafer also is working on getting a remote car track operational in the back of his building. There are two remote car clubs in Princeton who want to run their cars on a track. Schafer will also rent some remote control cars for others to run on the track.

Ironhenge is open from 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays and 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights at 1210 Backbone Road East. The building used to be the location for a motorcycle business.

“I am a stickler for no drugs or alcohol in this place,” he said. “I have instructed my workers that if someone comes here drunk to ask them to leave. If they give them any slack, they are to call 9-1-1. The Princeton Police Department has assured me they will come to help out.”

Schafer wants to have bands on the weekends, and he offers packaged snacks and bottled water or pop for customers while they are at Ironhenge Amusements.

In the future, Schafer hopes to have a miniature golf course established and an area for people to also race lawnmowers.

Schafer also offers an outfitters business where people can rent canoes to go on Big Bureau Creek, the Hennepin Canal or Vermillion River.

He has five boats, jet skis and a pontoon boat to use on the Illinois or Rock rivers. The pontoon boat has been adapted to look like a paddlewheel when Schafer used an old tractor combine part to use as a wheel. He has a party bus that can accommodate about 15 people.