A Place to Gather

Northampton Community College (NCC) graduates Nelson and Ricardo Peña learned the importance of community from their mother, Sandra Rivera, who taught them from an early age the value of fostering relationships and bringing people together. The brothers are doing just that at Mudita Gaming Lounge, the business they opened in June 2024 at the Pocono Premium Outlets in Tannersville. 

^{Nelson (right) with  Ricardo (left)}

“I was getting ready to leave NCC, and I knew I wanted to do something for the community,” explained Nelson, who graduated in May with a degree in business management. “I got my brother on board with the idea, and we decided to give it a try.” 

Nelson put the business skills he’d acquired at NCC to work and, after months of researching, was able to secure low-risk funding through a business credit card acquired from a bank. They looked at site after site before landing on space available in the outlet center. 

“We checked multiple plazas, and the outlets were our top choice,” Nelson said. “That location made the most sense for us, and we went for it even though we weren’t sure we’d be eligible. We took a risk, and it worked out.” 

The space was equipped with everything they wanted, meaning no major renovations were needed. 

“We just added our own touches with paint, lighting and equipment,” Nelson said. 

Creating a Hospitable Environment 

The idea for a gaming lounge also came from their mother, who saw an opportunity for her sons to merge their love of gaming with a business opportunity. 

“They grew up playing games, so a gaming lounge seemed like a natural thing,” Rivera said. “It’s a place for the community to come together in a welcoming setting.” 

Ricardo and Nelson go out of their way to assure a hospitable environment for everyone who comes to Mudita, striving to live up to the meaning of the name, which in Buddhism stands for rejoicing in the joys and successes of others. 

“Our mission is to inspire our guests to go out and achieve their definition of success,” Nelson said. “We want to watch them evolve and improve themselves as human beings, and we believe that starts with a positive community.” 

Something For Everyone 

The brothers work well together, merging Ricardo’s technological capabilities with Nelson’s business expertise.  

“I think we learn a lot from each other,” said Ricardo, who graduated from NCC in 2018 with a degree in radio and television. “It’s nice to be able to combine the things we’re each good at and do something together.” 

Offering all-day access, one-hour and half-hour gaming sessions, as well as events and tournaments, the lounge provides a diverse range of platforms, including Switch, PS5, Xbox, N64, Sega Dreamcast/Genesis, and VR. People can also book birthday parties and other special events at the location.  

“There’s definitely something for everyone,” said Ricardo. “We get everyone from young kids to older people who grew up gaming and still like to play. It’s fun to hang out with so many different people and get to know the ones who keep coming back.” 

While Mudita has its regulars, it also attracts people who come to shop and happen to pass by the gaming lounge. 

“We’ve got a great location here,” said Nelson. “Had we rented any other spot we would have had to work three times as hard to get eyes on us.” 

Credits NCC Curriculum, Professors 

Nelson directly attributes his ability to secure funding and accomplish other tasks necessary to get Mudita up and running to NCC’s classes and professors. He particularly enjoyed the marketing classes he took and said he applies that knowledge to the business every day. 

“We’ve been able to get the word out about Mudita almost exclusively through social media and word of mouth,” he explained. “We use comedy to market ourselves, and that stems from the professors I had who let us be as creative in their classrooms as we wanted to be.” 

Nelson, who has worked as a bartender, views the gaming lounge as a steppingstone to his next business and someday hopes to open a bar and lounge. For now, however, he’s content to be working with family on this project. 

“I don’t look at this as a job,” he said. “I work with my brother, and we’re doing something we both enjoy. I get to wake up every morning and know I’m going to make somebody’s day.”