Quoted from RadiatorLady:Already lots of great answers. Thanks, guys.
Yeah, we're still in the super early stages of figuring everything out, and we know it ain't cheap. We're in talks with some other local business owners about the best plan of attack. We do plan on serving alcohol. There's nowhere for 20-somethings in our town to really "hang out" and have fun, or enjoy a few beers without being stuck in a bar or restaurant. So, I think it could be fairly successful.
We're not looking to be big ol' rich business owners of course. Just make enough money to keep the doors open, the customers happy, and the pins rollin'.
We just went through this process with getting an arcade setup in PA that opens in a couple weeks. I think it is important to make sure everyone understands your goals. If your purpose is purely to enjoy pinball and an arcade, that is great, but make sure everyone involved is crisp on that.
Maintenance seems to be what drives most pinball arcades into disrepair so I would suggest having a solid plan for it. From what I have heard from other operators, keeping 10 machines 100% working in your basement is one thing but doing that in an arcade is a whole different scenario and takes a LOT of work.
As others mentioned, make sure you know the rules on licences and taxes. In PA it is by township which meant some places were off the table when we started looking for a location. Liquor license around here cost more than commercial buildings, and kitchens are a huge amount of overhead, so we decided to partner with an established area bar and restaurant that had a nice list of craft brews (good beer was a priority for us!).
"A" list pins are great if you can afford them. I'm putting my personal Monster Bash in our arcade but not with the intent of making any money on it, more that I want people to enjoy it. A lot of people with "A" list pins don't want them routed... so you need to find the right mix.
Best of luck! Keep us posted on your progress.
-Jay
