Bummer Post Alert

Was driving through Pelham over the weekend. It's like it was never even there

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(For those who forgot...)
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That's heartbreaking

I almost want to drive up there just to look through the door. Hope the landlord is happy he won the negotiations...

Is there anything in the PWA space? Is it rented?

The Superman pizza place is gone too?

Word is the trampoline place is opening in April and is hiring now. I helped Sarah move some of the last stuff out, it was not a sight I wanted to ever see. I used to live within 2 miles of the biggest 2 arcades on the east coast (PWA and Funspot when I am at my camp) and now I have to wait for summer to go to Funspot. Unfortunately, the pins at Funspot are crap.

the last few time I had been to Funspot I thought the pins were pretty ok, a couple had more serious issues but most the gameplay was pretty good for what the machine was. I think I had my best game ever on Superman the other Atari pins I was getting the hang of. the classic Bally's were great I thought

I'll admit the place could use a row of Jersey Jack tables and/or Sterns

The last moments of Pinball Wizard Arcade: https://www.facebook.com/derek.karamanian/videos/10158615452930506/

Miss you PWA

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I'm still depressed she closed the doors. Completely understandable but what a loss for us all.

Ironically that is the date of my birthday. Sorry to hear that and wishing all the best in the future.

well at least ONE good thing happened that day ... Happy Birfday Grayman_EM

I stopped playing in league when the PWA shut down. Its hard to find a location with such a selection. The only thing missing was a splash of EMs. Sarah said they simply not profitable. No one played them.

While its sad that PWA closed down the local scene for pinball has been getting better by the day. Boston has several new locations to play and the SNHPC has been a welcome addition to the NH scene. here are a few suggestions to check out- all of them are host sites for NEPL too. Flat Top Johnny's (Cambridge), A4Cade (Cambridge), Down the Road Beer company (Everett), Town line bowling (Malden), Trina's starlight lounge (Amesbury), Southern NH Pinball club- (Nashua). there are also several private sites that have opened up to hosting the league.

Went to where Pinball Arcade was on Saturday and the place looks fun. It's just WAYYYY open. Front staff had fond memories of the arcade and let me take these so thanks. This was like 15min right after they opened so it's dead empty. It's hard to picture "oh that is where Tron is" and "oh that is where the bathroom is and it led to the arcade games and the old Bally, etc". This is a video of the place: https://www.facebook.com/derek.karamanian/videos/10160298476150506/

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It looks like the trampoline park took over way more space then just the old Pinball Wizard floor space to the way left in the outside parking lot picture.

The space they have taken is the same only that they removed all walls, got rid of the back room, and then took over the dead area between Chunkys and Pin Wiz. Suppas is still there and all the businesses except that now there is no more giant paper wall that says "this space for rent". The place is quite massive. I mean imagine Pin Wiz only double the size and a bigger ceiling so you can jump around. It's unrecognizable now. Go back to my previous post and watch the video and compare.

gone a year

Thanks for the photos, D. I may have to take my son there just one time so he can jump around but also so we can remember the good times in there.

What will be very interesting is whether this business will survive or not...

1) It's not in a very high-traffic location.
2) It doesn't look "as nice" (from the 2 pics above) as another place we've visited.
3) It's an increasingly saturated market (see 2013's Self-serve Frozen Yogurt joints, 2015's PureBarre, and 2017's Escape Rooms). There are practically more of these than there are elementary & middle schools to support them.

If this place isn't here in a few years, boy will Sarah have a "told you so!" moment.

Her landlord sounded like a real ass-hat. I'm still furious that they had to close. It was like 51% why I went to visit my family.

I have a new Unworn Pinball Wizard Arcade Shirt from Pelham if anyone is interested in it.

will shoot you a PM

New place looks cheap and ugly compared to sky-zone. Gone within 18 months. We'll see what kind of crowds it draws. Pelham isn't exactly a suburban hub (don't get me wrong, it can be real nice) and no ones driving from Nashua or Lowell to jump on some freakin' trampolines. Never mind the out of town crowd. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

And yes, I'm bitter. My kids and I miss PWA more than I expected. It really became a part of their lives. A shame that greed so often kills off so many nice things.

I think this hits the nail square on the f'ing head.

Not only do I doubt people are coming from those towns, but there's already things to do in and around those places. Lowell has an indoor inflatable bounce house place, a Chuck E' Cheese, and a real good place called One Stop Fun 10 min away in Westford that has a good playground and gymnastics facility.

Nashua already has Launch Trampolene Park, located about 10 min west of Pelham, and ALSO has a location about 15 min east, so they've got Pelham surrounded. Manchester to the north also has a trampolene park and an indoor inflatable bounce house place is opening there as well!

Altitude in Pelham is the solution to a problem that didn't exist. It would be hilarious if Sarah played the long game here, got out while she could, had Altitude refurbish the entire facility on their dime, plus open up the space that was always for lease next to it, they fizzle out in a year, and Sarah gets a call from the landlord with his tail between his legs.

Wishful thinking I know...

playing pinball on trampolines would make an interesting League night for sure !!!!!

By and chance does someone have a pinball wizard arcade token they be willing to sell me? I’d like one for my token collection.

I think I have a few left over. If you come to one of the NEPL nights I play I can just give you one. I’ll do some digging through my parts bins later.