starting a pinball arcade

[pinball god]

A mate and no its not me, phoned me to find out who hires pinballs. He tells me he wants to start an arcade but didn't want to buy the games. Is there anyone that sites stuff at say a dedicated arcade? I told him pinballs are big earners. If there is someone could you let me know. Also I'm sceptical at such a venture and told him. Do others agree or not? If setting up what would those in the know suggest for machine configuration? I don't visit arcades so couldn't help him much. No idea where it wool be located except for outer suburbs I think

Thanks

[ddstoys]

If you owned the building then is say maybe if your paying rent then it might be a gamble

[pinball god]

If you owned the building then is say maybe if your paying rent then it might be a gamble

he says $500 a week rent

[elkor-alish]

Rent the games and rent the building?
Too risky!

The only places that I've seen that might, might, make money from pins is pubs, with the right theme (ACDC etc) and cinemas.
Yes I'm sure there are others but these are places that may have just a few, if more than one, games.
I think you'd be hard pressed now days to make an arcade successful.

Home video games killed the arcades years ago.  R.I.P.
All we have now are the Timezone kiddie casinos. God I hate them.

My two cents

[Homepin]

It is only ticket redemtion machines that do any good thse days sadly - I would advise him to forget it quite apart from the issue of finding someone who would "rent" him machines which I believe would be next to impossible.

[pinball god]

Yep I thought so but didn't want to assume and misinform him. Redemptions are great, you spend $100 and you get a pencil as a prize 

[swinks]

I think in the ideal world, it sounds great but high risk as not much will be earned to walk away with a wage but what seems to be a slow growing trend is pinball combined with something.

pinball and icecream - this guy has 3-4 outlets so must be doing ok from it and seems to have more night time openings with beer and comps - a place to hang out - this would be good near a tourist area and do well in Summer and seasons either side but maybe not winter ????
http://fulltilticecream.com

pinball and beer - barcades - this would be cool but more of a night time thing I think but a huge outlay and need the right environment.
http://barcadebrooklyn.com

pizza and pinball seems like another popular thing as people come for food and have a few games while waiting and then go again.


renting pins would be expensive - could find a operator that sites pins with the condition that they are in good condition and go 50/50 of earnings through the pinballs and then your mate slowly purchase a few pins.

[Cow Corner]

Pinball arcade today would be the best way to go broke.
Kids have little or no interest in pinball machines.
 

[Strangeways]

Renting a building and renting the pinballs - behind the eight ball already. If he owned the building and pins, then it might be different. But it is a risky idea in these times. Personally, i would never do it.

[skywalker]

you need plenty of cash behind you, No Debt's, as above need a premiss, biggest issue with these niece places is consistent cash flow,

Up & down roller coaster ride in business is very demanding these days   

[oldskool1969]

Speculate to accumulate.
Why not have a crack at the venture. We all sit here and say no, but let me tell you, that if there were a pinball arcade somewhere I and most of the other freaks here would pay a visit in a heart beat to support and also to help advertise by word of mouth!
Pinball and ice cream sounds - AWESOME (or similar gimmick) 
We all say and wish that pinball had a public resurgence, well now is the time.
Owners of business I know are always looking for a team building venue too, and show great interest in my pinball. LOCK IN SESSIONS!
Tell your mate GO FOR IT!
just don't plan on early retirement 

[spacejam0]

I'd love to have a local pinball arcade. I'm sure that my friends and I would be regulars.
That said and not really having any qualification in this area to comment my gut feeling is that you would probably struggle in todays climate.

[Pintoxicated]

If you had the luxury of treating such a business as more of a hobby it would be good fun I think and worthwhile.  To rely on it as your sole income would be risky - that is not to say that it isn't worth having a crack.

It could succeed but you would need to have a gimmick as already mentioned and be in a tourist type spot where there was frequent foot traffic as well as handy accommodation for pinball geeky freaks like us to go and have somewhere to stay.

I have often thought about the day when I win Lotto, I would love to have a venue that I could open up one weekend a month, or more if there was demand and have it as a hands on pinny parlour/museum with a splattering of video games.  Include a cafe, party room, big boy's party room with a special dancing pole and all would be good. 

[Retropin]

If the numbers stack up then go for it

[pinball god]

mate still keen on starting this venture but doesn't want to outlay on games  . it apparently is a side line to get some extra cash. So I am still asking for assistance in any leads as to contacts that may site games.

I have tentatively offered to site a couple of my pinballs or so on a 50/50 deal but will also leave him the keys so my games can ne opened to fix ball jams etc. I don't want a ball rubbing for hours in one spot due to ball searches etc.

I've kind of convinced him to consider a couple of crane/prize units in as well as maybe a couple of video games and pinballs. I also conveyed the ice cream/pizza idea and he tells me the shop next door is opening as a pizza parlour. So he could possibly get traffic from there as well as what he says are lots of kids that just hang around the shops ie. coles. He basically wants to do a bit of a community thing for the kids but not go all out with the investment side, hence the hire approach. If all goes well maybe he'd purchase once he gets some return.

I think it could work (but don't know the area stats in question), if he got in good with the pizza guy and ran a LED display of order numbers for those customers waiting on pizzas and if he sells snacks, provides seating, music or projector video of movies to get the kids in for a game and a place to chill.

dunno, what are your thoughts on this with the details at hand. Are there other collectors willing to consider what I'm considering?