The Cardboard Box Arcade

Less than a year ago, a 9-year boy named Caine spent his summer vacation building an arcade with cardboard boxes. It started off with a game or two and soon enough, the arcade was taking over his dad’s auto parts shop. Using his imagination and plenty of cardboard boxes, Caine created classic games such as the claw machine and an elaborative pinball machine. He even found a way to dispense the tickets like a real arcade game would.

It was only a matter of time before someone discovered this gold mine of imagination, creativity and ingenuity. A young man entered the auto shop looking for a door handle for his car and came upon Caine’s arcade. He bought a fun pass and became Caine’s first customer. Little did they know that both of their lives would change after that day. Caine’s first customer, Nirvan Mullick, eventually made a short video featuring the arcade and put it online. The video went viral in a few days and caught the attention of the media and celebrities. At one point, Caine’s Arcade, had a line with a 4-hour wait.

The story of the young boy from East L.A. inspired a movement. Caine’s College Scholarship Fund raised over $100,000. Moreover, the story inspired other kids to create their own arcade games using cardboard boxes and their imagination. Teachers incorporated these projects into their curriculum and instead of children spending their summers watching TV or playing video games, they were able to use their mind, ingenuity and resourcefulness to create a fun world of their own.