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OT Slightly: Arcade machines in your LCS?

Started by Issa,

16 posts in this topic

Issa

Issa

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What do you guys thinks of a few arcade machines in your LCS? My LCS was sold to new owners after about 20 years....and the first thing they did was get rid of the 3-4 arcade machines they had. This really irked me because:

 

1.) They only had 3-4 machines, but being next a movie theatre the coin-ops PAID their rent.

2.) I love Marvel VS. Capcom 2. :(

3.) A really cool coin-op kept me in the store and led to lots of random purchases.

 

What do you think of coin-ops in your LCS? Do they deter comic fans from buying books?

 

-Issa

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Wally's Comics

Wally's Comics

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If I owned a comic store I would have some retro ones in there.

It makes sense because 95% of you clientele are older collectors

that like coin-ops.

 

Maybe they didn't like the repetitive sounds it made when plugged in???

 

Do you know if the previous owners sold these machines

with the store or not? It could of not came with them...

 

Who knows?

 

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Issa

Issa

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I know that they rented the machines and the Coin-op company was pissed when the new owners didn't want them. The coin-op company got half of the quarters. They said serious collectors and buyers won't buy their comics if they have games in the store. Go figure.....

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comix4fun

comix4fun

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I would love to be able to have some in my store. I could easily fit 5-6 with no trouble. Buying them would be my problem.

 

 

:gossip: Most coin op companies will put them in your place at no cost to you and split the cash that comes in down the middle...they handle all the maintanence too.

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Arcade

Arcade

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yes I have no problems with space and keeping them out of the way. The problem would be the electricity they use and how much does it take versus how much play time they get.

 

Trust me. This is not a problem. These machines use little to no electricity because they all run on computer transformers that use either 5 or 12 volts.

I run a family fun center for my business and have an arcade that has 40 video games. The electricity they use is nothing compared to everything else I have.

You can check them out at my web page:

www.coloradocanyonfun.com

I can't believe someone would take out a machine that is making money unless they had somthing else to put in its place right away that would make even more money.

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TheSurgeon

TheSurgeon

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I bought a cabinet from a company called Dream Arcades. MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator. There are all kinds of web sites and chat boards for MAME, with people arguing over the best way to build a cabinet (should you buy it pre-built or build your own) and showcasing their arcade rooms in their homes (sound familiar?)

 

Basically, MAME turns your PC into an arcade playing any of the thousands of arcade games from the 70's to the present using the actual software present in the games. Although it is fun playing the games on your PC, it is more fun to buy or build a cabinet with real controllers.

 

It is still more fun to play the games at an arcade where you have to pay for it (I am not sure why) but I like my cabinet.

 

Dream Arcade upright cabinet

 

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Issa

Issa

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I bought a cabinet from a company called Dream Arcades. MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator. There are all kinds of web sites and chat boards for MAME, with people arguing over the best way to build a cabinet (should you buy it pre-built or build your own) and showcasing their arcade rooms in their homes (sound familiar?)

 

Basically, MAME turns your PC into an arcade playing any of the thousands of arcade games from the 70's to the present using the actual software present in the games. Although it is fun playing the games on your PC, it is more fun to buy or build a cabinet with real controllers.

 

It is still more fun to play the games at an arcade where you have to pay for it (I am not sure why) but I like my cabinet.

 

Dream Arcade upright cabinet

 

I have definitely heard of these and I think they're fantastic. However, I just wish the arcade monitors were pointed at the user a bit more (almost as if you're watching TV). It looks like you might have to stoop over to play these things (despite the sites' claims).

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TheSurgeon

TheSurgeon

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With the better made cabinets, the feel is similar to the original arcades. People are pretty fanatic about how the cabinets look and feel, and bad designs get hammered on the MAME bulletin boards. But the good ones are fun. I put a bar stool in front of mine, so you can sit and play, and have a shot glass with quarters on the console.

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Underdog

Underdog

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I would love to be able to have some in my store. I could easily fit 5-6 with no trouble. Buying them would be my problem.

Dave, I'm so damn good at pinball I'd only need one quarter or two and I'd be entertained all afternoon. Would you be supplying lunch?

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ComicSupply

ComicSupply

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To me that is pretty foolish.

 

The way that your supposed to look at product placement when renting/leasing is the amount of square footage it takes up versus the amount of money it brings in.

 

If for instance the owner is paying $12 per square foot and the machines take up say 4 feet by 14 feet then he is paying $672 (+some for triplenet) a year to keep those machines there.

 

I would assume quite safely that the machines would bring in at least $150 a month in clean profit so on a year that space is bringing in a profit of around $1000.

 

If he is going to put something else there that makes more, then it makes sense. If he is going to use it for storage or something else, then that is foolish.

 

Seeing as those are a draw anyways, it seems a noob move to make. I can see moving racks/displays but not something like this.

 

For instance, a local shop owner I know here has just moved from a 4000 ft place to a 1500 ft place. To make up for the space loss he is going to put all the backissues behind the counter to free up floor space. Not sure how that will work because nobody will be able to get to them.

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