Author Topic: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat  (Read 9121 times)

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Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« on: February 06, 2016, 06:10:26 PM »
A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
Lake Gardens Family Entertainment Center

$8.50 entry, and all game free play for 3 hours

Billiard table, darts board, foosball, one or two video machines, and pinball

I was surprised that they had 4 pinball machines, all old EMs
Playfield were in good order (some cupped inserts) , backglasses had been touched up
Badly hacked to rackup credits

But pinball is pinball, and they were working
Williams , Big Deal
Gotlieb, King Pin, Crescendo , Road Race (the squooshy flipper buttons took some getting used to)


honestly, the place is a bit of a dive, but at least somebody is trying

Offline Retropin

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2016, 06:54:29 PM »
Sounds like someones collection...good luck to them, hope it grows.

Offline ddstoys

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2016, 07:32:26 PM »
Hopefully it works out and they do well

Offline MartyJ

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2016, 07:55:04 PM »

honestly, the place is a bit of a dive, but at least somebody is trying


I can honestly say every arcade I went to back in the day was the same!

Offline Crashramp

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2016, 07:56:03 PM »
Good to hear someone's having a crack.  ^^^  I hope they can do well from it.

Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2016, 08:04:23 PM »
Sounds like someones collection...good luck to them, hope it grows.

that was my thought

I had never played gottliebs that has the ball count in the apron

Offline Brettski

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2016, 08:21:47 PM »
I remember going to Keith's in Lydiard st after the Saturday Matinee at the Vegas, also Electrofun and Timezone in later years. 70's pinny parlours were just the best! Good to see someone bringing it back to good old Ballarat.
If I grow my collection big enough I would like to start something like this on the Gold Coast! :)

Brettski... :)

Offline Pop Bumper Pete

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2016, 08:23:46 PM »
I remember going to Keith's in Lydiard st after the Saturday Matinee at the Vegas,



and years later, Kieth was a regular customer in my shop
but you cannot talk to him about pinball, to him it was just a bussiness

Offline Retropin

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #8 on: February 06, 2016, 08:27:07 PM »
I remember going to Keith's in Lydiard st after the Saturday Matinee at the Vegas, also Electrofun and Timezone in later years. 70's pinny parlours were just the best! Good to see someone bringing it back to good old Ballarat.
If I grow my collection big enough I would like to start something like this on the Gold Coast! :)

Brettski... :)

If you ever do - I will deck it out with neon for at minimal cost..in fact if anyone on this forum does this, the offer stands

Offline noj472

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2016, 10:54:49 PM »
Good to hear. I'll take the fam to check it out. It takes persistence and passion for a new business to succeed in Ballarat...and of course a bit of support from the locals ^^^

Offline Shintaro 4 Ever

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Re: A new arcade has just opened in Ballarat
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2017, 04:09:09 AM »
Hey Brettski - love your logo.  For years I owned a Strikes and Spares pinball machine.  I also took part in a 24 hour pinball marathon at Keith's Recreation Centre in Ballarat.  Interesting comment about 'Keith' from Pop Bumper Pete too ... wonder if Keith is still alive?