I am bored and have been surfing... found this little video. Makes me want to open an arcade...an idea I have been toying with... providing I win the lottery of course!!!

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mCXWU0onNA

Sparky

Here's an even better one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFTnb3cJQYI&mode=related&search=

I am POSITIVE that everyone that looks at these videos must drool, and reminisce big time!!! Man, those WERE the good old days!!!

And here is a link indicated in the second video... check out the "games that time forgot" section... little mpegs of games... way cool!

http://www.cinemarcade.com/

Important note!  There is Defender 3 in there!!!! Check it out...INSANE!!!

Quoted from Sparky

Makes me want to open an arcade...an idea I have been toying with... providing I win the lottery of course!!!

Sparky

The interesting thing about this idea, and I am sure many of us have also thought about it, is that the machines would probably cost less now than they did back in the late 70's early 80's! And with the knowledge now available for repairs, you could do all maintenance yourself! With the price of Classic Vids where they are and Pins that are Fun and tough to find to play, especially in good playing condition  but maybe not perfect cosmetically, available in the $1000 to $3000 range which is still probably cheaper than new in the late 80's early 90's, the whole project might not be as costly as you think! If only rent and customers would be as reasonable!!

Dave

Quoted from pins only

The interesting thing about this idea, and I am sure many of us have also thought about it, is that the machines would probably cost less now than they did back in the late 70's early 80's! And with the knowledge now available for repairs, you could do all maintenance yourself! With the price of Classic Vids where they are and Pins that are Fun and tough to find to play, especially in good playing condition  but maybe not perfect cosmetically, available in the $1000 to $3000 range which is still probably cheaper than new in the late 80's early 90's, the whole project might not be as costly as you think! If only rent and customers would be as reasonable!!

Dave

Here is a sad fact Dave... in Quebec, it costs 350$ per game per year in fees for a bogus licence with the provincial government... + 100$ extra for a new permit. So basically, it would cost me more in government fees than it would in games after a couple of years.

What would I need to do it?

1- Money (business loan would take care of that)

2- Location (I already have one in sight... empty building just begging for an arcade / pool hall... used to be a furniture place. Big windows, plenty of electrical, some parking, and is on a main road in between 2 city centers and surrounded by residential... there is even a waterfront in front of the place... I just don't know what they would want for it. I have 2 other possible places that would work.)

3- games (no problem there... just would take time to gather some good examples up, JVegas style!   )

4- market (there is one... plenty of bored-shitless teens, adults that want to reminisce, people that just wanna have fun and loosen up...)

The problem again is the licensing fees... just 25 games (small for an arcade) would cost 8750$ in licensing fees, not counting the extra 2500$ the first year. I would need quite a few pool tables to help cover the extra costs.

So let's see... I would need about 20 pool tables (2500 each I think), 25 good classic vids (about an average of 500$ each), as many for parts (let's say 150$ each), 10 recent games like 3 DDRs (10Gs each DDR... average 3g per recent game), at least 15 good pins (average it at 2000$ each, classics and DMDs).

Total: 147250$ plus 31500$ in license fees when opening.

Add a good 100 grand in building electrical, audio/video equipment, lighting, bar equipment, snackbar equipment, carpeting, and whatever other crap needed.

Then, there is the building rent or mortgage if I buy it. I figure rent at at least 2000$ a month, or probably well over 400000$ for the building itself.

Let's say I rent, I have to pay needed employees as well... I already have a game maintenance guy lined up... JD will work for pinball anyways.  

...And the money comes in one quarter at a time.

I even have ideas down for theme nights, special parties, everything!!! Maybe if I lived in Ontario in a metropolitan area, this would have been done years ago. But not here.

In my area, there are currently 2 pool halls, and they suck. Nothing original. A few tables, a bar, no vids or pins or foosball tables or air hockey or Chexx games.

As you can all see, I have been thinking about this for a while... problem is, try leaving a good paying, steady job, and do that.


Sparky

PS: Super 7 is 32 million Friday... weirder mess has happened to me. I figure that I have already been struck by lightning as a kid (yes.. was walking beside a steel fence in a park (baseball diamond... very tall) and lightning struck it, and I got part of it, thrown 20 feet, fried fillings in my mouth and memories are fuzzy for the few months after, hence the nickname...), so the odds gotta be in my favor sometime...  

Hmmm, I have a friend here who wanted to open an Arcade upstairs of his other business and was having similar issues with Coin-op machines. I think they said anything over 3 coin-op games required different zoning etc, even different Fire regulations. But if they weren't coin-op things changed drastically. So, his idea was to have everything on Free Play and charge an admission fee. I am not sure how it would have worked out as other things came up and he had to sell his collection for other reasons, but I know he is still planning to try it again.

I can see the other issues and the cost of new games is Staggering! DDR's and linked driving games etc. Wow!! But the classics (I am talking 70's to 90's) are reasonable, and well, better than new in most cases, keeping in mind I am a Pin guy!) Plus, the games themselves are kind of free if you look at future resale at approximately the same price (Classics again) Parts, Always an issue, but used is good. Buying the building is Very Smart!! Get something big enough to rent part of it out, or the upstairs/downstairs part so you can subsidize the mortgage, that way, you at least end up with the building in the end and maybe you are a landlord instead of an arcade owner, not a bad thing either.

I know if you were to talk to Lloyd (LTG on RGP) he would tell you not to, in no uncertain terms based on experience. But I just read an article in Gameroom magazine about Lyons classic pinball in Lyons Colorado, and they seem to be getting by. Interesting subject anyway. I would certainly love to see it come to Fruition!! Hmmm, Must go buy tickets!!  

Dave

Quoted from Sparky

As you can all see, I have been thinking about this for a while...

Or you could do it the way the guy near Allentown is doing it (pinball parlour)!  Flat fee to play or you can rent the whole place for parties.

Start little - aim big..

Mike

I think most people on this forum has probably thought,
at one point or another, to open an arcade.

I had even considered putting a few games at my work (Nortel)
since the demographics are perfect (bunch of tech geeks, who were all
teens in the 80's, looking to re-kindle their youth.  ) ,
but I decided it would be too much trouble, ...not to mention
a conflict of interest !


Opening an arcade is a very cool, romantic, idea, but as everyone seems to concur,
a huge financial gamble.

Provincial licenses are insanely high and you'd have to find a way around those
(ie. flat fee for free play, or sell "memberships" to a "private" club " ).

But if someone ever gets the balls to try it,
I'd be happy to "lend" some games for the cause....  

Cheers,
Steph

Quoted from Steph

Provincial licenses are insanely high and you'd have to find a way around those
(ie. flat fee for free play, or sell "memberships" to a "private" club " ).

I looked into that 3 years ago... licenses are not just applicable for machines that accept tokens or quarters. The second you have an arcade machine for which you have to pay to play it, whether it be coins or a membership or entrance fee, it becomes a commercial machine, hence needs a license.

The only way I have seen around this... is playing stupid! Don't pay the fees until an inspector comes along and checks you out, then simply plead that you didn't know, and then go pay the fees. Funny thing is, the inspector could come around MUCH later... if ever.

I will never give up this dream... but there is a chance that it may just remain that... a dream.

far as i know ontario has prettly lax laws on such stuff.  my tattoo shop, i thought of changing over.  it use to be a corner store with loads of fridges and stuff.  so we are able to handle alot power being used.  we have had over 20 machines going at once.  that was alot of fun.  mostly people from the bar across the street playing.  
have had others ask me why i haven't yet.  well, because they are my machines and i want have the right to tell people to bugger off if i don't care for them playing one.  hard to do when they pay for the right to play it.  kids just hitting the flippers repeativly on older machines wouldn't be good.  i would have to have pindoc come down at least once a week.  all my machines are free for customers or people just dropping by.  i have a few of the younger kids that live around me drop by and play almost every day.  great kids and they watch over my business, best they can.
  
  hope it happens for you someday sparky.  don't think my wife has yet to check the super7 ticket.  who knows, if we win we would be there for you.  loan you the money or at least open near you and give you a job.  hahaha

I would also lend you some machines (even if they would be scratched up just a little bit in the arcade) if a local room can be opened to house a classic looking arcade.
But it is not a project that is even remotely possible, really.  

That is why most guys have that dream of a home arcade (like that Peter Hirschberg guy on RGVAC --> http://www.peterhirschberg.com/arcade/index.htm).

I know that guys here like myself (and 1 or 2 others) are crazy enough to spend money on storage/rent just to keep machines around for that day when a bigger house/(big game room) comes along.  Meanwhile the money I spent on the machines and some storage would have easily given me a small down deposit to buy that darn house.  But that is the dream, a big home arcade to remind you of those geeky arcade 80s....

Quoted from Sparky

As you can all see, I have been thinking about this for a while... problem is, try leaving a good paying, steady job, and do that.

Who said you have to quit your job to do this?
I have heard of some people starting a business and still having thier jobs.
A Manager can do most of the work for you. Sure in the begining you have to spend a lot of time there but that can be arranged via some time off or vacation.

Also as far as emplyees go you have to have enough Money in the bank to pay them for at least 6 months or more unless of course your making some good profits right off the start.

Quoted Text

I know that guys here like myself (and 1 or 2 others) are crazy enough to spend money on storage/rent just to keep machines around for that day when a bigger house.

That was me a few years back...
I had a tiny 8x8 locker that was costing $120/mo.
(...the wife never knew about it...)

I had it filled in no time (...with mostly crap ),
and I realized I was better to sell the stuff and drop the storage
rather than to think I would ever get around to fixing-up the games.

Quoted from 80s.fan

That is why most guys have that dream of a home arcade

Z'actly !

I now have a "respectable"   11 x 12  room with 4 pins and 6 vids.
but my grand plan is an under-ground arcade...
(...although this won't likely happen for another 10-15 years ! )

Our house is a "high-ranch" bungalow (which means the front
has two stories, but the back has one level below ground. )
The back of our garage is bascially completely under-ground,
and it would not be impossible to excavate behind it
to create a decent-sized 24 x 24 room.

Of course, I'd need about $50,000 for this...
but hey it's only dreaming...

Cheers.
Steph