It's not like selling games is a guaranteed quick win, and with 2200 games selling even a fraction is a LOT of work. So I think y'all are underestimating the amount of work, and also the impact that's likely to have when the clock is already ticking.

Correct, the clock is ticking, as they have less than two months now according to them to come up with a solution.

Selling 2200 games is gonna take way more than two months, unless they give them away. It seems like PAPA took over six months to liquidate their (much smaller) collection.

Seems like they've painted themselves into a bit of a corner.

I’ll take some free games

Why do they need to sell all 2200 games if the job is to just raise bridge funds? If you need 200k to buy some temp rental space, at even an avg price of 2000k, that's only 100 pieces.

As to 'the clock is already ticking'... gets back to how they got into this jam in the first place. The stories don't add up with the information shared so far.

Because they wanted their prices and only local pickup.

Eventually they had to deal with CoW to unload the leftovers because they couldn't close the deals.

Add this to another thread were people beg for money for their pinball museum, but can't sell any pins. I think this hobby has a lot of horders. I would start with that POS box of lights called Magic Girl.

Hi! Long time Pinside reader, first time caller. I had to register for this topic alone.

Whatever is going on with The Museum of Pinball has me absolutely gutted. I've been going there just about every time it's opened since the first Arcade Expo in 2016. Banning is an... interesting place to be sure, but not without its charms, and TMoP was the crown jewel of the city. I've had so many good times there, both alone and with friends. Those of you who have visited know this, but for those who haven't - did you know there is a whole entire other section of the Museum devoted to arcade games!? And the collection is (was?) crazy solid! Games you rarely see anywhere - Atari's Quantum, Williams' Chicken Shoot (complete with the flash of actual feathers blowing up between the screen and the player), Exidy's Chiller, a 4 Player version of Sega's Hot Rod, the list goes on, way on. Not being able to take a crack at getting some high scores on them ever again literally has me sick to my stomach.

It goes without saying that Pinball there was a blast, of course. Yes, they have all the new stuff that you would expect, as well as those holy grails like The Big Lebowski, Alien, Full Throttle, Thunderb... hahaha well, yes, that pos game and even, as previously mentioned, a Magic Girl. Unplayable, natch. But such a pretty box o' blinking lights! What often goes overlooked is their collection of older pins. Wedgeheads galore! And in amazing shape! I would put TMoP's collection of Wedgeheads up against any other public collection - even The Pinball Hall of Fame. You could spend the entire day just playing their classics - and believe me, I have!

What else?? Keith Elwin bringing his Archer prototype there (wish it would have remained an Archer pin... sorry Iron Maiden fans, but Neil Peart stands alone). The lady selling the Pupuasas in the early days. The (sadly no longer in business) Brew Rebellion Brewing Co. having their wild beers on tap (you'd be surprised, but Fruity Pebbles make an amazing IPA!). The Haunted House at Pinball Madness during Halloween! INDISC moving from Chaparral Lanes into a much bigger venue, and growing exponentially every year! The Walter Day Trading Card Collection!

And of course, all the pins you could possibly play in one day. You couldn't! You'd have to go the whole weekend!

I was very excited when they announced the move to Palm Springs. To see it all come crumbling down - especially this way - it breaks my heart. I'm not smart enough to know what exactly went wrong, but I do agree with those who have it all seems poorly planned, for what that's worth.

chuckcasey - if you don't mind me asking, what exactly was your role at The Museum of Pinball as the "curator"?

You have a shitty attitude.

This post echoes my feelings on this. Everything up to the last line. That part, Ill leave alone... lol

But yeah, losing this seldom open location really hurts deep. I was so excited to hear about the Palm Springs move which would have had it open regularly and was only a couple miles from a house we have there, but now, just depression. I am hoping they are able to figure out a way to move forward, whatever that is...

Someone created a pinside account to post this.

Too funny

Wedgeheads galore!

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Soooo many pins.

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Awesome arcade action!

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A small group of us AZ members took a number of trips there some years ago to help work on the arcade portion of the museum. Coindork grilled burgers and dogs and we laid out sleeping bags on floor of that very arcade. Good times. Hate to see it go if things don't work out. At least we got memories.

Do you have info to contrary? I know many people who bought games, who tried, and games ended up with CoW. What are you adding?

Ugh this really sucks, I love that place and was so looking forward to it being regularly open in Palm Springs Aside from Stern I can't imagine anyone having enough money to swoop in and save the day. Even if they did find another location it would still likely take more than two months to get it ready for such a venue. Given the limited time window I figure there is only one option, move the games into storage until the Palm Springs location is ready. I wish them luck, I really hope they make it through this.

Where are you ever going to see stuff like this again?

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Did the part where I said...

...not tip you off?

What are YOU adding other than your usual know-it-all BS? Your delight in watching a beloved place fail makes me sick.

I have no idea wth you are talking about… except to tear down people sharing what they know.

You quoted a statement about the papa collection - one I enjoyed greatly.

You enjoy tearing people down. On a pinball message board. But your attitude is wonderful.

Now I have no idea wth you are talking about. When did I "quote a statement about the papa collection?"

That sounds awesome! I would have liked to have camped out there, but the times they had camping seemed to all be during the winter and I just don't have the intestinal fortitude to handle winter in Banning.

Speaking of burgers, remember the lines they used to have for them? LOL, they were insane.

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Username checks out, fellas.

The post you quoted of mine to which you jumped on me for

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/banning-pinball-museum-to-relocate/page/2#post-6361386

… and you call me out for attitude? You don’t even what what you were reading and taking the opportunity to shit on me. Show what you are…

This is obviously a troll account. Too much knowledge of users to never have had an account.

What excuse am I ever going to have to eat at Gramma's Country Kitchen again??!? Best cream pies in town!

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The very first words I posted here were:

I've been reading this site for a loooooooooooooong time, but I always thought it was more entertaining to watch the real time Lord of the Flies stuff going on between people who are supposedly all bonded by their love of pinball. Judging by the reception I'm getting here, I made the right decision to stay away. Well, until now, I guess.

I may have misunderstood what you were talking about, but I still hold a firm belief that you have a shitty attitude. I guess the "fellas" don't like it. Eh.

It is weird that a person can write nearly 500 words about their love of The Museum of Pinball, and share a bunch of pix so that people who have been can reminisce and the people who haven't been can see what it was like... and that's the takeaway some people - actually, looks like quite a few people have. Not to mention the downvotes, yikes!

It's rather aggressive, isn't it?

Anywhoodles. Let's just hope it isn't...

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...for TMoP.

I guess there's nothing like blowing a load. You have been pent up.

Uh, okay? Yeah, I blew my love of TMoP load, I guess?

RyanStl Have you ever been to The Museum of Pinball?

No, just here for the drama.

You are Absolutely correct about the prices! I was a pretty big buyer, Pulling 21 Games from PAPA. I would of bought more, but that just didn't happen, not by my doing. They had said in messages that there would be discounts for volume. I asked "what is considered volume" They said 20 or more games. When I got there, they were unwilling to discount based on volume. They had some ridiculous price on the Eight Ball pin that looked like a 1st grader had touched up the playfield. They were unwilling to negotiate price from 2k for what was clearly a game that needed a new playfield!

SO if they got stuck with any games........ It is their own fault for the way they ran the sale to start with.

Well, that and critiquing my loads. :lol

Frax , flynnibus , beergut666 : have any of you gentlemen ever been to The Museum of Pinball?

"Games ended up with CoW".
????????????????????????????

Yep, good times for sure.
I still have a Webber charcoal grill stashed there that I bought and left there for whenever we had tech days.
Good fun for sure and a lot of good memories.

There was one night after you all went to bed I polished off a half bottle of Scotch and went over to the pinball side and made love to the Big Lebowski.
Had my drunken way with that thing for a good hour or so by myself before I crashed out.

That first trip I went through two full boxes of black and white cap kits.
Think I recapped every Motorola XM series monitor on the arcade floor.

Yeah but I thought it was funny you included that in your first post.

When you get a high score on a pinball type in MOO

(seriously though I have no idea what they’re talk about either)

Friends, staff and volunteers...stay tuned for an update coming in a few weeks...and please in the meantime, try and be nice to each other.

We all share the same interest and love of pinball, so let's try and be respectful of everyone.

I understand there are a lot of questions about the future of MOP, and truly appreciate all the support, ideas and concerns. Please stay tuned.

Regardless of what the future holds for the MOP, let's be thankful for the good times we have had over the last 5+ years. All of which was made possible by the staff, fantastic and dedicated volunteers, friends and visitors and of course my father John Weeks. He has graciously shared what is probably the most epic collection in the world of pins and arcade games with thousands of people.

P.S We have not painted ourselves into any corner We paint outside the lines, always have and always will.

Thanks again and hope everyone can stay happy and healthy,

Johnathon Weeks
MOP

Cow = coinop warehouse

A long running picker and seller of jukes, pins, and arcades who buys by bulk and sells stuff through.

Papa wasn’t budging on prices even as their list sat and sat and sat.

Eventually we saw their games being listed by cow. Ending up there was a tell papa gave in at the end to sell cheap or consigned because thats the only way cow buys.

Wow how could I overlook that one. I’ve done plenty of business with them I’m just not used to all the businesses being compressed into acronyms these days.

Thanks flynnibus for clarifying.

I hope you guys survive this. I never got to experience it but I’d always wanted to go. This sucks.

Having visited the MoP several times, and taken many photos of the games in the collection, it saddens me to see what is currently going on. Hoping for a solution.

Allow me to suggest something stupid: instead of buying an existing building, isn't it cheaper to buy some land somewhere, ramp up a building or two and store the whole collection there? That would take care of the first priorities. From there you can expand and get up and running again.

My friends and I have attended almost all of the Banning events, it's simply a wonderland of Pinball and Video Game history.

The pictures don't do it justice. Thanks to John and the dozens of others that created and supported the museum of pinball.

All of us in our crew are pulling for good news.
Cheers.

Irrelevant.

When did you try volunteering? If in the last year, covid paused the group except for a handful of top techs. The tech program is tough to run for just 1 guy that has 3 full time jobs. And before he arrived a few years back, there was no program. We always welcomed new techs.

I know the tech program very well, and although not perfect, its pretty amazing for anyone that devoted time to it.

Someone posted that tech provide parts, We do actually. We love the family the MOP built. I myself have made lifetime friends because of the MOP. I personally have donated, parts, time, blood, sweat and now tears. Its become part of our lifestyle.

Thanks for stepping up Johnathon.
Heres one thing I have learned about the family at the MOP, never, I mean never count them out. John did not get to where he is by painting himself into a corner. Jonathon, Johns son, is just as ambitious as his father. They are constantly shifting and transforming multiple businesses. Its who they are, not by choice, by design.

How do you reconcile the points of…
- everyone knows it takes a long time to do any renovations in cali
- the collection is big and difficult to relocate and will take time
- the place is expensive to even keep idle due to its size and always has taken personal money to keep afloat
- you will need gov zoning approvals to make the new site viable

And
Leasing the existing property out with a move in date that conflicts with all of the requirements above?

and why is this a new conclusion now… if all the requirements above were already known?

It seems the simple calendar planning should have flushed that out long before “2 months to go or we’re dead….”

The timeline of news just doesn’t add up to simply be “everything was to plan and great until….”. Nor does it explain how the newspaper gets the scoop on plans and quotes before mop tells their own people what’s going on.

Was it the leasing deal was setup so long ago and the building hunt took too long? Was it making plans trusting overly optimistic building renovations that were not in touch with reality? Why was the building leased before the existing uses had a viable migration plan?

The project has been personally funded from the get go. What has changed that now they need a new sugar daddy or they face liquidation due to being homeless?

There is more then is being said…. Sure sounds like John Weeks isn’t willing to fund the bridge funds needed (after floating all this for years?) or they are using a crisis as an opportunity to try to plead for a new sugar daddy.

-Checks thread title-

-Checks to see if "Frax" is the Pinside police-

Hmmm.