Local pizzeria and video arcade Forbidden Planet will close its doors after setting its final day for today.

Named after the 1956 film of the same name, Forbidden Planet is located in the heart of the Pedestrian Mall.

It was established almost four years ago, in the spring of 2014, replacing the Tobacco Bowl, which was also owned by Tommy Connolly and his family. It closed because of the shrinking number of smokers, and Connolly opted to open a family friendly pizza place with several business partners, a partnership that has since dissolved.

An array of classic arcade games were featured there, including Mario Bros, Tetris, and several pinball machines, almost all of which have been sold. Despite inflation, the games still cost a quarter to play.

There was also a bar serving craft beer and other drinks, many of which fit the theme, such as the Bloody Mario. The pizza featured Neapolitan style, with specialties adorned with such clever names as The Al Gorgonzola, The Italian Stallion Medallion, the Your Face Invader, and many more.

Connolly, also the owner of the Bluebird Diners in Iowa City and North Liberty, said he was closing due to a lack of interest in the restaurant’s theme.

“The pizza-arcade theme works very well in a lot of places, but in a small and expensive outlet like this, it didn’t work so well as we anticipated,” he said. “I think it just needed more space.”

While not as big a hit as Connolly had hoped, the food received impressive reviews, with five-star ratings on Facebook and TripAdvisor.

The last night in the pizzeria appeared to be bittersweet, and it seemed as if most of the guests were big fans of the place, with many families braving the cold to have a few last slices and send their final quarters down the machines.

The announcement was made on Facebook last week, in a post saying, “Tis with a heavy heart and trembling hand that I say Forbidden Planet will be closing, as in forever, next week. Alas, it is time to do something different.”

When asked what was next for the outlet, Connolly said he was planning on opening a breakfast and lunch restaurant that would close its kitchen by afternoon and become a café serving coffee and wine.

The name of the new establishment will be The Dandy Lion, “like a well-dressed cat,” Connolly said jokingly.

Construction will begin in the coming weeks, and Connolly hopes to have the new business open for business by March or April.