After growing popularity overseas, claw machine arcades have increasingly popped up in the United States — and, now, one has landed in Cleveland’s AsiaTown neighborhood, with the opening of Claw Boba Snack.
The space, owned by Sai Lin and located at 3133 Payne Ave., opened on Jan. 13. It’s designed to bring a popular form of entertainment to the neighborhood, says manager Ben Lin.
“Claw machines are everywhere in Asia, but I don’t see much of it in Ohio,” Ben Lin says. “We have a few of them inside the mall, but nothing outside of those areas.”
The concept features more than 20 claw and prize machines, containing varieties of plush toys, keychains and blind boxes for visitors to try to win. Among the characters that can be clawed up are teddy bears, capybaras and smiling burgers, along with cultural fads like Labubu plushies or characters from K-Pop Demon Hunters and Minions cartoons…