Can't wait for this!!! Going to be awesome!!!!

Here is a small peek into the store.

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Yes, I have. I live here in town, grew up in Mesquite. I didnt learn this until much later, but as a kid I grew up playing arcades in a place called FUN FACTORY which was owned by the same guy. I didnt know it, but I have been giving Steve business most of my life one way or the other.

I will admit: I am overall new to the hobby. I have bought and traded 20 machines in less than 13 months, (which is freaking diving in) but yeah... Im not a arcade/pinball veteran. When you come into this hobby you "hear it all" but as far as I am concerned, I like to focus less on what "he or she said" and more on my own experiences.

I can say with sincerity: dealing with Steve and FUN! over the last 8 months has been very good.

Steve lent me a WOZ for my first arcade event (Arcade House Party 1) and then a Star Trek for a pinball party I hosted at my house. Now for my next event (Jared's Epic Party) he is lending several machines. Basically, he has always been accommodating, kind and trusting of me with very expensive equipment.

Here in Dallas, we have a vast scarcity of public places to play pinball. You can count the places to play more than 3 machines on one hand, with the largest of all being a location with 10 total machines. That's it. Many private collections here are 4-5x that.

Which is why it's such a big deal for a business that is historically conservative... and has never done such a thing... to open their doors to the public in the name of raising $2000 for a major charity. I think it's awesome, and I quickly offered to assist in any way that I could.

Anyways, although I have never purchased a machine from them myself, I have certainly "dealt with these guys before" and I am excited of their attitude and willingness to accommodate the pinball community in 2014.

I can't lie, I had a similar experience when I went in there a year ago. It was off putting to me, but I realized later that I was not dealing with Steve and Gideon had no idea who I was at the time. Gideon is a still a straight edge business man, but once I connected with Steve and we formed a friendship I have had no issues in there playing any game of interest after asking permission. Still, FUN! is "notorious" (where entirely factual or not) for "not letting people play the games" which is (to me) why it is all the more shocking and exciting that they are opening up the doors for charity to let people play every functional game on their floor for 4 hours.

Just to be clear about that part.

There will be one pinball machine (not yet decided) and the machine will offer ONE game per attendee. Whomever gets the highest score of the night on their chance takes home the slot machine. Also, the actual slot machine given away is far better than the one pictured in the flyer. Thats a goof on my part.

Bingo. This event is a lead-up to TPF, and was scheduled in March on purpose. The auction FUN! is doing at the TPF really is going to be ridiculous, and that single feature alone will add 15-20%+ more playable pins to TPF's event in 2014. Thats awesome.

Well I have bought playglass, cleaner and a few miscellaneous parts. I have never purchased a machine from them. That is the extent of my financial transactions with FUN!, but I dont think it's fair to say thats the only business that matters. To me, business is any interaction with someone as a business. So when they, as FUN!, lent and trusted me with thousands of dollars in equipment, It quickly gave me a respect for Steve and his trust he would put into a stranger. I have also had the luck to have several long conversations with Steve about business, his ideas, some of his plans and what he has done, and all of the discussion with him has further deepened my respect as well as my trust in him as an individual.

A huge open open house for people to come play unlimited has long been something people in DFW wanted to happen, and also thought would probably never happen. It was Steve's idea to use the event to raise $2000 for a great charity which is the best part of all. Perhaps with the open house, many pinball players will get to meet Steve first hand and begin a new opinion of FUN! in 2014. This is going to be a fantastic event.

Fair enough.

The reason I have not bought machines from FUN! is because they are beyond my budget. I dont have the funds for a NIB game, and most of their used games are also out of my budget range. The most expensive pin I ever bought was $2600 and I was very nervous about it. I prefer to spend $200-$1200 on pinball machines...and I generally convince myself that if a machine costs more than that it's not worth it.

I enjoy the hunt... I enjoy being on craigslist or facebook and racing out to find hidden deals... sweet hookups... stuff like that. I like getting a machine that is busted... broken and neglected... and ordering parts to install it and bring it back to life. I get a lot of enjoyment out of that.

FUN!s machines are shopped, cleaned, working and ready to go. While I see the appeal in that, for me as a pinhead, thats cost prohibitive and also not nearly as exciting. Just my personal opinion.

When and if I do every buy a NIB machine, I have little doubt that it will be from FUN! since they are our local JJP and Stern distributor. After that, I can report on my interaction with them (if that matters?).

The point of this thread... and in my opinion all that matters here... is that a local shop is opening its doors for the first time to let people play an abundance of nice pinball machines... and in the process will raise $2000 for a worthy charity. That's awesome. That's worth attending. That's worth supporting.

In my opinion.

No matter what I could possibly read it won't change the fact that 60 machines will be on free play for the first time for 4 hours to help raise $2000 for a worthy charity.

WOW man... go big or go home! haha

The event date for this party has been changed to the 15th.

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Dang you check peoples collections... That's hardcore hunting!

Models what? lol

Yeah.... he has them mixed up. Haha. They do have some friendly dogs!

No doubt. Decided to go a different route since I made that thread.

It was brought to the attention of Steve that a large swath of the pinball community would be at a private pinball party coincidentally being held that night, so large that it could hurt the turnout (and contribution efforts) of the FUN! event. The 15th was shown to be all clear, and Steve moved it. The people who previously "had a prior engagement" now are free to attend without having to choose one or the other.

Featured in the news today.

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/mixmaster/2014/02/get_your_long_awaited_pinball.php

Pay Pal Here - [email protected]

Stop by if you are ever in North Texas!

How many tickets are left Steve?

Hearing a lot of buzz about this on facebook and locally. Going to be really awesome!!!!

Thats great.

Since its looking like some major rain storms in DFW on Saturday, this event is even better since its going to be held indoors.

Going to be awesome to hear that place going with every machine being played at the same time... for the first time!

The place looks incredible.

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Just wanted to say how much fun tonight was. It was so awesome to finally see that place lit up and loud, all the games going and people in all the rooms. You guys gotta realize, since the day they moved into the place this has never happened. How surreal it must have been for Gideon, Aaron, Steve and the team to see so many people and hear so much noise in their quite business in the first time... ever. Ed even did a mini-big-smoke outside, Craig Hassell's son won a $1000 slot machine, and everyone seemed to be in good spirits. There was more beer than anyone was willing to drink, which was pretty awesome.

Even the ninja turtles made a surprise appearance to take pictures with the kids!

Steve said to me at one point "Wow, I guess we should do stuff like this more often".

Yes Steve... yes you should.

Turtles, pizza, pinball.

Yep: smells like a party to me!!!!image-219.jpg

Kudos to Steve and FUN! for the fantastic event! That plays makes a great arcade when you add people, music and some beer... Im just saying...

I have no intention of being less than crystal clear folks.

I have been listening to the DFW pinball owners for 17 months now. They want a big, nice place to go and play pinball. The Pinballz of the north. The Pinball Hall of Fame of Dallas. They want a massive selection... on location... somewhere.

There have been many ideas... theories... dreamers... and dreams... but as of today we still have no such place.

What I am suggesting is that of any of us... Steve Nordseth is the #1 prospect to make this dream a reality for North Texas. He has the space... the machines... and the business know how to make it possible. If he wanted to, he could do it in a matter of days.

So yeah... him having the open house... seeing the positive effects... seeing how much everyone enjoyed it (himself included) is the... baby steps... towards this becoming a reality that all of us may be able to enjoy...

Maybe.

Are they in a commercial location next to fast food facing a busy street?

No doubt you are correct. I've heard rumors of such collections, and missed opportunities to view at least two of them.

When I called steve the "#1 prospect" here is why. Please correct me if I am mistaken.

-His place is already built. The machines are already in, the location exists, it had the power and Ac system , the parking, the access and the inventory. With the flip of a switch, with very little change on his part, steve could turn his showroom into a functional, accessible, available pinball arcade. He just did, for 4 hours , and it was glorious.

-He is in the business of selling games. Getting new people in the door is always a focus and a goal. Having the arcade inside could be the ultimate bait, converting casual players into buyers and home owners. Steve is already setup, in fact, the machines already have price tags.

-He has run large arcades before. Steve has been in the business for decades. He had the experience and know how to manage a profitable business (which is why he remains in business) and has also managed many arcades in the past. For decades now , one way or another , he has been involved in commercial coin op. This is not a man with an expensive hobby, this is a man who does this for a living.

***

For sure, many startup a pinball arcade on their own. Maybe someone will, I hope they do truly. I've heard the conversation come up from many in 17 short months , in sure it's been going for far longer than I've been around...

In my opinion , the person who could do this "the quickest and easiest" would be steve. And maybe I'm wrong.

In any case, more pinball is a good thing for everyone, so even if steve stays as is with his operation, hopefully he will have more events like the one this thread was created to promote .

***

PS: Invite me to come see some collection action!

Maybe not, since the many whom are capable/equipped to do so have abstained all of these years.

Possible... sure! Quick and Easy? Proably not. With its own challenges, drama and things to deal with? For sure.

And perhaps for the reason you have just spoken, the dream remains distant.

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My simple question would be "If it works in other cities: why not Dallas?"

Its a question I like to ask... but have no clue how to answer.

Well spoken.

We have a unique situation here to say the least.