Good luck to the kid! not my cup of tea to donate to a business but to each their own for sure.
Being all of 20 and waiting patiently for YEARS to fire up the business might be a bit of a stretch. Hope they do well, if they have a sound business plan and all the pins/machines in place, the bank could be the place to go to.

I don't donate anything Whoms "SHORT" trailer explains shit to me is 14 minutes long.

I cannot believe that he hasn't changed that name.

Agreed, I don’t donate to for profit businesses. I support them by spending my money in the establishment but if you want a donation up front I’m an investor and I want part of your company.

I'll donate offline and send over a crate of Napatha

That fool was just on KLOV begging for money, then apologizing for being an azzhat d-bag. I see he hasn't changed in the year that he took a vacation from here.

By the way, here is what he thinks of Pinside and the people here who might consider donating:

"I posted this on Pinside before I quit months and months ago. Forgot about this guide. Hate that site, this place is like a church compared to it. Has a nice modern design but the old cranky men there stuck in their ways make it more outdated than anything, so it's a huge walking contradiction of a website, reeks of it."

https://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=417885

This "cranky old man" is "stuck in his ways" of not donating money to con artists.

Why not go to a bank and get a loan?? Kind of old fashioned way of doing things.

Just wow, when he had water issues in the basement and needed money I offered to buy any machine just to get cash in his pocket but he couldn't do it, instead ask for donations??? He has alot to learn.
-Mike

Oh god No!
This fool doesn't deserve a dime.

From His gofundme site.

"Even better, our business will be ADMISSION-BASED using an affordable $10/hour rate to play all the 100+ games (which have now been modified/set to start automatically without coins to support this), so there are no quarters, tokens, or game play cards to fuss with - and it also saves you a lot of money and time too!"

Who the fuck would want to pay $10 an hour to visit an arcade. What a stupid ass business model. That better be one epic arcade for $10 an hour. I think our local pinball arcade only charges $30 for the whole month with everything on free play lol. Anyone who donates to that is simply pissing away money.

Plus he got sent to the bozo bin at KLOV for acting more or less like he acted here before it got too hot for him.

https://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=421985

Recurring pattern.

Talk smack about "old guys"
Beg old guys for money
Complain when old guys don't give you the money you want.

who wouldn't want to be part of the time-proven successful business model, the arcade?!?

I understand it it part of a VHS rental club.

"The big boys say it takes millions of dollars to build a brick and mortar arcade, with all their fancy overhead, red tape, working games, paid staff, advertising budgets, and properly licensed and inspected facilities. Here at Otaku/Interlock LLC, I can do it for only SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS! That's only 10 times what it cost Pinside to fix my flooded basement and buy me a Team One!!!

DONATE NOW!"

he's lucky the state of Pennsylvania is so small-business friendly. in NYC, i can't fart in my business for less than $6000.

I was trying to think of something funny to say but I'm not even going to try now. A+

I just cleaned the litter box, where do I send it?

Six k won't get opening expenses paid. But if he can somehow get to open and stay open for even a few weeks, the experience will be valuable. Donate? Nah! Sell 10 machines, there's the 6k. Amateur trailer doesn't help.

Grifters gonna grift...

Wondering if all the games will be liquidated when the Gameseum files for bankruptcy in a year? Start socking away $$$ for the sale, guys.

The games are mostly garbage. Kid has never paid more than $100 for a game so you can be sure he ain't exactly getting the prides of the fleet.

So the reason he can't work is irritable bowel syndrome? WTF! I have major heart and back problems and I can still work.

I live near this guy. He's obviously a clown, although the $10/hr admission is in line with other semi-local arcades here. No way in hell would I donate money to fund a private venture like this. Most do a $10/hr~$25/day model and do okay. His problem is that he is located on a road where there is no such thing as foot traffic. Anyone that goes there is going to have to drive there. I'd be shocked if this thing ever gets off the ground if he doesn't even have 6k to invest and get his building up to code. Here is a local newspaper article on the matter. He also posted to Reddit. Gotta love how the location is "top secret due to security reasons".

http://www.ephratareview.com/news/new-arcade-will-be-a-blast-from-the-past/

Does he even have any non-EM pins?

How many EM’s did he buy with the money he begged for here on pinside and claimed was for a sump-pump for his granny’s basement. This kids actions reinforce my belief that society is slowly spiraling down the drain.

I'm surprised he's got any donations after his shitstorm here on Pinside!!

This kid has a lot to learn - and it seems he's ignoring the lessons we've tried to give him. Back when the whole flooded basement fiasco happened, I was one of the first to be the 'pinside dick of the day' and recommended he sell some of his games to raise funds rather than beg for money. But nope, he just couldn't part with any.

Here's the link for posterity: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/sos-in-nj-help-needed-after-flood

This kid was living with his parents, and using his grandma's house as his personal arcade. When he gets some water in grandma's basement - he comes running with his hand out begging for $$. He claims he can't work - yet he's strong enough to haul all these games around. This attitude of entitlement that (some of) the millennial's have these days is disappointing. Back in my day, if you wanted something, you worked hard to earn it and saved up for it. Going out on the street and begging for $$ used to be frowned on - nowadays it's called 'crowd funding'.

I know, I know - I truly am the old 'get off my lawn' guy now. I used to be a cool heavy metal kid with long hair - now I'm a grumpy old bald dude....my how time flies.

He has gone on record of taking donations and buying used pinballs in the past. Total jerk and scam artist.
Get off your ass, get a job you lazy SOB.
You can also report scams and questionable activity to most of the donations sights such as gofundme, etc..

for anyone who doesn't want to read the entire fundraiser story, i've put together this handy bullet-point list, so you know where your money is going...

-donations will only go to the best expenses
-Glow Nights (ever been "Glow Bowling"? Like that, but so much cooler!)
-competent heating and cooling
-severe IBS
-lots of stomach pain
-clean bathroom
-pain-free
-making sure you're the only one eating your cake - hah!
-it will be a place I can accommodate my needs
-TOUCH AND PLAY all of the machines no matter how old they are
-snack bar (complete with cocktail "table" arcade machines to eat on and play!)
-kick-ass ninja's
-general stability
-We've ran the numbers over and over and this WILL work

Someone please let us know when he has a "All the Shasta and baloney sandwiches you can eat" night.
That should draw 'em in.

Because loans require monthly payments with interest added.
Ain’t nobody got time for that!

He's never had a job, has pledged he will never get one, and has no assets. He's not getting a loan.

I don't see how he secures any kind of financing for the gaymuseum with his current business model. He's only got $200 so far in his latest crowdfunding scam ($20 from TNT amusements!), so I think that's a dead end, and even if it weren't, $6,000 is laughably small and wouldn't do anything but pay for his next few Allentown pin hauls or flooded basements.

If this young adult wants to pull this off, I really think his best move would be to find partners. Adult partners with jobs, assets, and money who share his vision and can keep it afloat for a long period of time without turning a profit - if he can find any that he hasn't already alienated, insulted, or pissed off.

The way he's trying to do it right now results in nothing but failure - most new businesses fail and I'd guess a big theme among these failed businesses is lack of reserve cash to withstand some slow months and unexpected costs (of which there will be a ton). What's he gonna do if we get a snowy winter and people can't travel? What's he gonna do if we have a nice summer and people want to do stuff outside? What's he gonna do if it turns out it takes more than one puff piece in the Ephrata Shopper's Monthly to turn out the crowds and he needs to build a customer base over a long period of time? Monthly gofundmes to keep the lights on aren't gonna cut it.

This is a terrible formula. You can't run a brick and mortar business paycheck to paycheck and you can’t depend upon keeping the doors open at a new business by being instantly profitable.

Man! I could start a gofundme and really spruce up my garage. And finally get that collector quality vintage pitch and bat I've always wanted.

I’m sure lots of pinside members would love to operate their own arcade. I know I would if it was possible to earn a decent salary. Unfortunately we live in the real world/reality and accept the fact that it’s just not that simple.
Wake up kid if you want to realize your dreams you need to WORK HARD!
Not beg for money!

593385AA-02F7-4087-B4AE-C3CF70C63A1F (resized).jpeg

It will be very interesting to see how much money he actually raises and if he ever does open the business or not. I’m skeptical. Keep us posted.

To the OP, can you add Otaku to the title of the thread to make it easier to find for all?

Everything CrazyLevi said.

From their gofundme page:

"Donations will go towards interior construction changes, town permits, as well as general stability over own first few months of running our own business. We are extremely money conscious and have been planning this down to the nitty gritty for YEARS, and promise that donations will only go to the best expenses. Unlike other attempted arcades in the past, we will not be using donations on purchasing new machines as we already own and have paid off all 100+ of them! Lots of people failed in the past by having no foot in the game and spending all of their money on buying games (and leaving no money for VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS EXPENSES), but that is not a problem for us whatsoever."

I completely expect "VERY IMPORTANT BUSINESS EXPENSES" to become a meme now.

20 years old, but been planning this down to the nitty gritty for years. No business acumen, but willing to promise that donations will only go to the best expenses. Not just the good expenses, but the best expenses.

Cash flow is not a problem for them whatsoever, as long as people donate to them, lol.

No wonder they can't get a legitimate loan.

..cuz he'd have to pay it back

Oh yea silly me. Shit if I can do it anyone can. Just get a job and work hard and you'll get 6K fast enough

Everyone keep in mind that GoFundMe donations are dispersed even if the goal is not met. Which is why it's a common venue for down and out beggars.

Hell why work someone has already given him $200. I wish someone would give me $200

mcdonalds is hiring for a few months i believe???

I could put his butt to work real easy

That sounds hot!

My offer still stands.

Next time he has a flood in his basement, I will be glad to send him one of these, but no money that he can just squander away in some strip club or whatever else suits his fancy.

download (1) (resized).jpg

Didn’t hear him?, it’s “VERY important business expenses!!” Lol

A friend of mine, also a poster here, was set up next to him I believe at Allentown one year.

He said the game was J-U-N-K. And he never got it working the entire time it was there.

Kind of like the classic car hobby, we need younger guys, and gals, in this hobby, especially on the EM side. Most of us are not getting any younger and it would be nice to get some younger guys interested in EMs, otherwise the knowledge, and probably the games themselves, will go with us.

That said, this dipshit is not one of the ones we want.