Major bummer. This place was like a candy store! Awesome location.

Man that really does suck.

I'm so glad I took a spontaneous trip out to PW years ago - thanks, Groupon, for suggesting it! It really is a spectacular place.

Anyone talk to Sara about bringing a lot of those games to pintastic free play for sale? I bet she would sell them all and make more money doing it for a good cause.

This make no sense. Who the owner of the building rents to has nothing to do with how much money a business makes. Unless the owner is changing the footprint of the building to rent to multiple people, raising the rent and she does not want to pay or is the owner of the bouncy business themselves.

Having a long term tenant who pays regularly and take care of the place seems more valuable than a new business that could flop because they do not know how to run a business, picked the wrong location or just get too many lawsuits from creating piles of twisted up kids.

Here in Georgia, a lot of the business owners are good friends with those who sit on the city's council.

Just sayin'...

I completely agree. A few accidents a lawsuit or two and the place closes. It seems like the landlord is pennywise pound foolish. PWA has been paying rent for 6 years. Keeps the place up and brings people to the small strip mall. What else could you ask for. Raising the rent and getting rid of a good tenant is nuts.

Both times I was there it was fairly empty... only a handful of patrons. Of course, hard to judge from a sample of 2 visits.

Really disappointed to see the doors close. :-/

I was there last Saturday night and the place was packed. Big money night. I brought a 13 and an 11 year old and they had a blast with the redemption games. Spoke to Sarah. I think people underestimate the stress of keeping 100+ pinball machines running every day for years and years. Those machines are all in terrific shape because they are constantly attended to. I just hope the Pinball Wizard league holds together.

I had lunch at Suppa's yesterday. It's convenient when playing an afternoon of pinball at PW. Without Pinball Wizard in the mall there, I'd never eat at Suppa's. I'll be curious if they can even stay in business in the corner there without PW.

I think it depends upon the day and time. When I went, I would get there early on a weekend and not see a lot of people. By the time I usually left, the place would typically be getting pretty crowded.

I was hoping this wouldn't end. It's a real shame.

I thought that might be the case... yeah, real bummer to see a place like that shutdown

I was there last Friday night and the place was packed too. It must be a hell of a lot of work keeping all those pins going. I guess she must be tired of all the hours. She has been there 6 years.

I eat dinner at Suppa's pizza place every time I go to PWA. I am sure their business will decrease once the arcade is gone.

Sorry to hear the news. My wife and I went there one time. Sarah was very nice and helpful about a system 11 game we had purchased. We will go back for another visit before they close.

Bouncy House enthusiasts gotta eat, too.

Yeah, I guess you are right. We will see. Actually we won't because most will not be going by that mall anymore.

When I was there two weekends ago, Sarah told me that they were Month to Month but her landlord was still showing the place. Such a sad day in pinball. Bar-cades are cool and all but the pinball Wizard is the mecca of pinball for the east. Sarah did a great thing for this community, she helped me stay in this hobby when I didn't know anything about repair. I'm truly grateful for Sarah and I wish her the best.

I really hoped they would find a way to stay open-- it's an incredible place with a fantastic collection and great people. I guess I'll have to find an excuse to make it out there before they close the doors for good.

Here's to hoping Sarah can find a new location... maybe closer to a larger city. The current location is the middle of nowhere-- closer to a highway would be much better.

I would hope some people could help Sarah find a new location and keep PW open. I've only lived in the northeast for a short time. Lanes and games closes and now pinball wizard.

So YOU were the disturbance in the force! As a representative of the northeast, we are going to need you to leave.

I'm not sure Sarah wants any help finding a new location. Finding a spot isn't usually the issue.

-

If you are part of the Fabulous 10%, there is still FlipOUT.....and we are still goin strong.

There is also the southern NH pinball club. Their collection keeps getting better and better. Certainly worth checking out.

Pinball will survive, even in PinWiz closes....

So still open though? Will be such a sad day when it's gone.

I think the issue is that she has a significant amount of money invested in that place electronically. From our conversation it sounded like moving was not in the cards sadly.

She doesn't need our help to do that. Think of what she's accomplished without us. It sounds like the current issue is her landlord is playing hardball for more rent $ and she's just spent with it all. The penny wise - pound foolish quote earlier on was right. You don't muscle out a trusted, solid tenant because one with a newer pair of shoes might want the same unit. For Sarah, it's increasingly becoming more attractive just to take her ball and go home, and in this case the ball is a shit ton of awesome games.

I was always told to reach to people to offer to help. My wife tells me I'm too nice to people. We don't have much time to get out pinball events but we do enjoy having people over to enjoy our pins and have few drinks.
I'm sure it takes a toll on operating an arcade 7 days a week and if Sarah wanted to
Keep it open she would find a new location. I wish her all the best. I would like to see her collection she has at her home.

Definitely not for everybody.

LTG : )

It makes your accomplishments truly amazing. Can't wait to see you on the cover of Replay and Playmeter magazine. I am driving up for the 50th anniversary!

I have been well aware this day was coming, probably just was hoping beyond hope it would have gone the other way and having her expand into the empty location next to her.

I remember my first trip there, the entrance made it look like it was a small location, I walked in and my jaw dropped. The collection of games was beyond words. She was opening when most arcades were closing, before pinball really started to get hot again.

She has been a tremendous resource, and a great friend.

From just going there to hang out, and see the newest pins, to talking shop with Sarah has been a great experience.

From running the annual Pintoberfest, and having New England Pinball League finals, Sarah has been a gracious host.

I will truly shed a tear on my last walk through, which I know is coming up. I'm hoping to get an exact closing date so a final tourney can be run, or simply a last hurrah with all of our pinball friends far and wide, can pull that plunger one more time.

I won't say Goodbye, but only so long to Pinball Wizard Arcade.

-Matt

I am heading there Saturday afternoon and Sunday. I got to play more of the EMs before they leave. I have really started to like Mousin Around.

I'll be there in a few hours, I'll be in the black Brooklyn Basketball shirt and jeans. Come say hi, LitzDoc!!

-Doug

So I just got back from Pinball Wizard. Apparently there was a Furry meetup there today, needless to say it was an interesting visit hahaha. Playing pinball around sweaty people in animal costumes was a first for me...I did get to play Batman '66 though which was fun.

-Doug

There's no chance you didn't take pics. Post 'em.

It is practically impossible to take pictures with those big paws.

Hey, an MM

f (resized).jpg

You know TOM got some extra love with that sexy topper sitting on there.

Is that your basement Taxman or is it Boob's?

I've been there a couple of times when the Furries were there. They were perfectly fine, and did not bother anyone. I see far more disturbing "outfits" in Wal-Mart.

They are still open,right? Im planning on driving out tomorrow AM.

Call them?

Yes, I was just there. Nice to see Medieval Madness back on the floor.

I thought about that, then I figured I'd bump the thread

Ah.

What time do you expect to be there tomorrow? I'm planning on hitting up PWA for a few hours at some point, either before or after a home project. If I'm there when you're there, I'd certainly be up to play a game or two.

So does anyone know if this is the last weekend?

I took a trip a few years ago.. I went to Pinball Wizard and Funspot. Funspot was horrible. Most of the games were broken, or did not work at all. They have the nerve to waste electricity and power on games that had NO picture on the screen. Shame because that place is so big.

Pinball Wizard on the other hand was cleaner, most if not all of the games worked. Sarah was super nice. I took a peek at that back room they had full of more games! I wanted to take a walk through there. I was hoping they'd get that section open as well and I was going to come back again.

Unfortunately from New Jersey it's a long trip for me.

Next door there is a movie theater you sit in old car seats and have dinner right at your table. The food is not that good, but I still enjoyed it.

I had 50% off at Funspot and it still wasn't worth the trip. It really was a sad sight.

I'm fairly confident the answer to that question is "no", but we should revisit this question in 4 weeks.

As much as it pains me to prove you wrong on this subject..

https://www.facebook.com/Pinball-Wizard-Arcade-191678567510096/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf

Sunday last day.

Official thread here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/pinball-wizard-arcade-closes-43017

Sad to hear that this is a reality. I saved a couple of tokens from my last visit a couple of years ago.

Well that sucks seeing how when that announcement came out 30 min ago I was out to lunch with one of the PinWiz employees. She didn't even know until I just sent her the thread link to the official announcement.

That should let you know how much of a surprise this is to us.

Glad I snuck up there on Wednesday, middle of the day, and got to play for a solid 90 minutes. Things we're winding down, a lot of machines with "out of order" post-its and a number are already gone (TZ, WH20, TWD...).

Depressing -- there will never be anything like this again.