I am throwing around the idea of purchasing a pinball machine or two (new or used) and operating them a local business or two in my home town (Beamsville incase your curious).  I am thinking of keeping it simple and within a 5 minute drive from my door.  I would be there to check on the machines, clean them etc. every 2 or 3 days.  This way I could ensure each machine looks shiny and new at all times.  I truely believe the biggest down fall of pinball was operator neglect.  Nobody wanted to play a dirty broken down machine and a pinball requires way more maintenance compared to an arcade machine.  I really do think there is something special in pinball for all generations and people would appreciate an play the machines.  I was throwing around the idea of purchasing NIB sterns to put at a location, but I am not sure if I could make the investment back.  

I want to do this for two reasons.  reason #1 is the wife says I am not allowed anymore pinball machines in the house.  (I only have two, you guys with 12+ machines at home are so damn lucky)

Reason #2 is that I am hoping to make enough money to support this bad habit of a hobby.

I would like your thoughts and input on this.  Is this just a bad idea?  It the risk too high?  Would I piss off the video game ops in the area?  Would businesses (local bar or pizza place) want a pinball machine?  Is there a high potential of simply losing money? Let me know your thoughts and or experiences.  

Its all about the ROI. With a 60/40 split with location, maintenance, insurance, license...you will be lucky to break even.

Do it if you want to share the love of pinball. If you are looking to make $ you need to be Starburst, being the distributor. Buy everything wholesale, operate hundreds of machines, and sell many machines after 1 year for what they cost and replace with new ones. Oh, and if you are lucky make under $1K per year per machine at a decent location.

Your best bet would be a solid older pin for which you can get parts. Cheaper investment. In fact, owning a parts game of the same model as you have on route can also be helpful.

Don't you need insurance and a license?

I have no idea about insurance etc, but it sounds like a good idea, IF you can trust the location.  As long as it's in an open/visible area that won't attract punk kids it should be fine.

If for nothing else it's a way for you to personally get over your two game limit.  Just rotate the games within your possession.  It sounds like a few of the guys on here that have a lot of machines don't have most of them, they are all lent out to friends/family because they've ran out of room.  You'd be doing the same, you'd just be making some (probably limited) coin out of it, rather than those other free loaders.

p.s. did I mention I have a large empty unfinished basement?  just sayin'

Depends....do you like to lose money? I agree with wbradley, pretty hard to make a go of it. After you factor in time, maintenance, and the odd vandal, I think it would be hard to stay ahead.

I think there is a market for a retro bar arcade...certainly in Ottawa or Toronto. Cann't say about elsewhere.

Good luck,
Duane

I think you need to PM me your phone #. I will put it very clear to you based on my experience as an operator here in Ottawa.

I like what Twilight zone said "Do you like to lose money ?" The only way you will ever make a million dollars in this business is to start with 2 million.

If I had a new location that call me for a pinball there would be minimums per week implemented then a favorable split after the fact. It drives me nuts when operators feel obligated to give the farm out for the sake of placing equipment.

The days of 50/50 are done with the exception of possibly a pool table or something like that. The collections of Pacman will never come back.

Do what I do "operate" out of friend's homes.  I set them up with pinball machines that I either "loan" or "rent" and that spreads the love!

Set them up at a friends house and do not put it on free play.  You should make some money that way

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I want to do this for two reasons.  reason #1 is the wife says I am not allowed anymore pinball machines in the house.  (I only have two...)

Your reasoning is fundamentally flawed from the start.  I had to negotiate from your exact state.  After two pins, I couldn’t as even so much as mention the word pinball without the wo-man trying the take a swing at me.

Find out what she wants, and negotiate.   With me, it was a puppy, who ironically will destroy everything (mostly hers haha) but the pins.  In return, I got the freedom to do whatever I want in our rec room / games room, plus a backrub every week, plus one sat every month where I can give her the boot to the spare room, and have the bed to my own.  PLUS she can’t complain on the days where all I want to discuss is pins.

On top of all this, I was able to install the idea in her, so that she came to me to present the offer.  Win/win/win.

...the puppy is a pain in the a$$ though.

Quoted from jamie23

I like what Twilight zone said "Do you like to lose money ?"

heh heh....I deleted what I originally put "Do you like to lose money? If so, go ahead..." Thought that might be too brutal. Seriously take Jamie on his offer and give him a call. I really cann't see how placing a couple of games is a good idea.

Duane