Liz Moore has been around vintage pinball machines her whole life. Now she and her husband, Scott, are about to open the Pop Bumpers Pinball gallery in Bicknell Square in Weymouth.

WEYMOUTH – Liz Moore has been around vintage pinball machines her whole life. When she was young, her father collected pinball machines as a hobby. Then, in 2010, her husband, Scott, started a small business fixing the machines after the couple's previous business venture, a bowling alley, failed due to the recession.

For about a year now, Moore said she has been ready to get back on the entrepreneurial horse.

"It started to become real to me when I would drive by and see an empty storefront," said Moore, who lives down the street from the Bicknell Square location of her new business, the Pop Bumpers Pinball arcade. "This area has really been screaming for something more active to do."

Pop Bumpers Pinball is set to open soon. The one-room setup features 10 machines from the '60s and '70s, some of which Liz Moore had from her father's days as a collector, and some of which Scott Moore bought and fixed up. The couple's vision is to provide a family-friendly place for birthday parties and other gatherings, but free play will be available to the public when there are no parties booked, Moore said.

The Moores said pinball is making a mainstream comeback.

"What's old is new again. That's what really makes this work," Scott Moore said. "To a 10-year-old kid who has never seen the machine before, it doesn't matter if it's 30 years old."

The couple said they look forward to supporting local businesses with their venture. Pizzerias and bakeries in town have already approached them about providing food for the parties, Liz Moore said.

They also said they hope their business will help spark revitalization of Bicknell Square.

"Hopefully it will start to build up this area," Liz Moore said. "If we're here, then maybe something else cool will move in, too."

Moore will continue to work as a sign designer at Trader Joe's in Hingham in the morning, then open up Pop Bumpers at night during the week for league play. The gallery will be open all day on weekends, but to celebrate the opening, it will be open all day every day during the February school vacation week.

"It's a wholesome, family-friendly place to have fun," Liz Moore said. "I think people are going to love it."

Reach Lauren DiTullio at lditullio@ledger.com.

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