Owning a small business is never simple. It takes resilience, community, steady hands, and sometimes an additional boost to weather the unexpected. For Bill Kokos, owner of Sierra Madre in Hampton Township, that boost came in the form of Pennsylvania Skill games.
After years of traveling for corporate work, Bill always felt drawn back to Pennsylvania. It was home. When the opportunity finally came to own a business in the place he grew up, he jumped in fully, even if the first weeks felt like “a deer in the headlights.” Running a local restaurant and gathering place brought joy, but also the realities every business owner knows well: rising expenses, unstable markets, and the challenge of sustaining growth.
In Bill’s words, finding something that shields a business from economic volatility is “absolutely key.” And that’s exactly what happened when Sierra Madre introduced legal skill games.
A Revenue Stream That Strengthens All Others
Skill games didn’t just add an extra line of income—they transformed the way customers interacted with the space.
People stayed longer.
They ordered more food.
They bought more drinks.
The ripple effect was immediate. In hospitality, time spent equals revenue earned, and the games created an atmosphere that naturally drew guests to stay and enjoy more of what Sierra Madre offers.
Bill describes the difference simply:
“The level of revenue surprised me—not just from the games themselves, but from the uptick they brought to everything else.”
For a small business, diversified revenue matters. Food sales, beverage sales, and skill game revenue may be different streams, but together they create stability. They give owners the breathing room to plan, invest, and take care of their people.
Investing Back Into Employees—and the Community
Because of the revenue generated by skill games, Sierra Madre has been able to offer benefits that many small businesses cannot.
Holiday and birthday bonuses
401(k) with match
Dental and vision coverage—paid for entirely through skill game revenue
These aren’t just perks. They are life-improving benefits that help retain top talent and deepen a business’s bond with its community.
Skill game revenue also empowered Bill to give back in meaningful ways. Hampton Township is constructing a Veterans Memorial Park—something deeply important to him. Through donations from Sierra Madre and support from Pace-O-Matic’s charitable giving efforts, the project has received significant local funding.
“It really is a shining example of a community coming together,” Bill shared.
Building for the Future
With a stronger financial foundation, Sierra Madre has been able to pursue ambitious improvements, including:
- A newly expanded parking lot
- Purchasing adjoining property
- Renovations, including a new bar and fresh interior updates
- A land development plan involving attorneys, construction, and township approvals
These upgrades totaled nearly one million dollars—an investment Bill felt confident making because skill game revenue provides long-term stability, even when the broader economy shifts.
“Regardless of macroeconomic conditions… the totality of those streams, which include skill games, allows me to look at the future and say, we’re going to be fine.”
A Dream Rooted in Pennsylvania
For Bill, Sierra Madre is more than a business. It’s the realization of a lifelong dream in the place he has always called home. Skill games didn’t create that dream—but they helped secure it. They allowed Sierra Madre to not only survive but thrive, grow, and continue giving back to a community that means everything to him.
“There’s something about this place that keeps people coming back,” Bill said.
“And I wouldn’t want my dream anywhere else.”
Watch his full interview