Portals Entertainment Center: Meet Alfred & Chad Williams
Stepping into Portals feels like entering a new dimension. The bold black and purple branding sets the tone for an adventure. To the left, arcade games flash and chime, while straight ahead, families share laughter over pizza at bustling tables. A nearby counter buzzes with guests exchanging tickets for prizes and gearing up for the attractions.
On this day, a youth football team energized the space as they prepped for a laser tag showdown. Beyond them, glowing black-light mini golf courses beckoned, while Portals’ hidden speakeasy offered adults a quieter retreat.
The scene is a perfect snapshot of the community atmosphere that co-owners Chad and Alfred Williams envisioned when they first dreamed up Portals.
Amid the buzz, our Editor-in-Chief, Porsché, and Alfred were ready for a showdown at the air hockey table. The puck slid across the board with dizzying speed, the click and clack of the rally blending seamlessly with the arcade’s soundtrack. Alfred’s competitive grin gave away his love for the games and the joy of sharing them with visitors.
As the showdown began, so did the story of Portals’ beginning.
“It started out with a concept of a laundromat,” Alfred began, indicating that the entrepreneurial spirit that most Temeculans are known for was beaming inside of them.
“But then we started thinking about what are the things that are lacking in this area? I’ve lived in this area since high school about 20-plus years ago, graduating from Temecula Valley High School. Unfortunately, there wasn’t really a whole lot then, and still not a whole lot now. So we thought, what can we do to bring something fun and exciting to the Inland Empire?”
Alfred focused his attention back to the table and back and forth they went. With little effort, Alfred sent the puck flying into his opponent’s goal… twice.
His joy seemed to light up the room with child-like wonder, but that was the point. Portals was meant to delight and illuminate all who entered, not just the children.
“We wanted to make sure we covered all ages, from the little kids to the parents to the grandparents,” Alfred explained. While speaking, Porsché scored two goals of her own.
“Okay, it’s gonna get serious now,” Alfred said with raised eyebrows.
While the game intensified, so did the story of Portals’ birth.
“It took us about three years to get to where we’re at now,” Alfred admitted. And it’s no wonder. Everything inside the laser tag, mini-golf, and speakeasy was hand-designed, fabricated, and painted by incredible artists. The attention to detail is astonishing.
The two players focused their attention back on the game. After several intense passes between them, Alfred scored the final winning shot.
Chad, who was standing off to the side, smiled warmly.
It was Chad’s vision that made Portals what it is and, over a game of skeeball, he explained.
“We have a couple of strong beliefs,” he says as he presses the game card to the console causing the balls to rush down to both his and Porsché’s lane.
“One of those is supporting kids in various roles. Foster kids are very important to us as well as kids with special needs. We have an accessibility and inclusion hour twice a month. We also support military families.”
Chad nonchalantly rolled skeeballs up his lane, scoring several thousand points in a matter of seconds.
“We offer a 10% discount every day for our military families and have partnered with MilVet to be a drop-off location for their toy drive for the holidays. We’ve also partnered with local nonprofit VSSN to host one of their holiday events here.”
He went on to explain that both he and Alfred have come from military families so it was important for them to give back. It wasn’t just military families that were close to their hearts either.
“Alfred was in foster care as a kid,” he revealed as he rolled another ball right into the 5,000-point slot. “So we believe that every kid should have equal opportunity and be able to have these experiences too. And sometimes the kids in the foster care system haven’t. So we want to make sure that our center is available to them too.”
Both Alfred and Chad live and breathe this mission daily, especially after adopting their amazing son out of foster care.
Chad rolled his final ball and ended with a total of 15,000 points.
Arcade games aren’t the only thing Chad and Alfred are good at. They have also seemingly mastered the art of relationship building. Putting local collaborations at the forefront of everything they do at Portals, their desire is to make their businesses an impactful and permanent part of Temecula’s history.
“In our lounge, we sourced a lot of the beverages from local wineries, breweries, and microbreweries. We really want to be a partner to other local small businesses to make sure that we can all grow together,” Chad explained.
“We also work with local libraries to bring about youth literacy programs,” Alfred added. “So, we want to collaborate with local businesses that have a passion for advocacy for military families, veterans, foster youth, or literacy.”
It’s clear that Portals is more than just an entertainment center. It’s a space where fun meets purpose, and every visit is a chance to connect, play, and care.
Portals Entertainment Center is a reminder that when creativity and community collide, the possibilities are endless.
You can head over to Portals for some fun at 26469 Ynez Rd., Temecula, CA.
Or reach out for collaborations via phone at 951-383-1088 or head over to their website at portalsentertainment.com.
Watch the Portals interview here:Portals Entertainment Center: Where Fun Meets Purpose in Temecula
