I'm moving down the road to open a small Arcade/Showroom at the USA Flea Market in Hudson, FL at US 19 & SR 52. My Booth is going to be #95. I've researched the cost, and other local competition, or people who have arcades similar to the one I would open. There ain't much in the area. Stop-n-Play, a place with mostly kid ticket vending games, and 3 of their 4 pinballs work - sort of. Maintenance isn't really high on their priority list. They're busy keeping the huge connect-4 stocked with tickets - But, maybe I'm slightly bitter about the direction arcades are taking - the "Dave 'n Buster" type arcade, as opposed to the type of arcades depicted in the movie "Tilt."

So I want to sell games, as well as have people play them. Pricing is another issue I'm contemplating. If you touch quarters, then it's a WHOLE different ballgame. So, I'm thinking $1.00 for 2 games, and then a flat $5/Hr, or $10 for all day long, Maybe I could limit it to N-1 number of games, so even if all X people that paid to play all day long were there at once, there would still be a game open.

And what about a name?

- Wizards
- Wiz'
- The Tilt Museum
- Pintastic
- SilverBalls
- The Silverball Mueseum
- Pinhead's Paradise
- Extra Balls
- Arcadia,
- Arcadium,
- The Pinball Arcade (although a little telling)

other ideas I was playing with, "Tilting at Windmills" or,

Thanks everyone...

-Brian

Ancient Arcades? Or, Ancient Arcadia? But really, these games aren't ancient. Hmm.. What was a descriptive term to describe 1980s stuff?

Force, to be honest I don't get out much, I'm always at home playing & fixing. I see that there are a bunch of Silverball establishments - one in DelRay Beach, just across the state, and another one in New Jersey, another "Silverball City" in Tennessee, . If I were in California, I wouldn't worry as much, and since mine is going to be in a flea market, I don't think there would be any confusion between my shop, and one of the other silverballs.

You know, what's funny is I hadn't even heard of any of these places!

I've been doodling for the last day or so several Logos, or Monikers, Front door Signs if you will, that say just "Silverballs" with what is pretty blatantly a rip-off of the hand on the Silverball from Silverball Mania. That was what I was going to base the name of my place on. Not on one of the other Silverball establishments.

You still think it'd be poor forum to use the term Silverball anywhere in my name? There are a lot of other names I could choose from, except I sort of like Silverballs! If there is going to be another arcade come alone in 6 months and they are going to call their place SilvermotherFlippers..

I'll post my doodling when I get to an I phone.

-Brian

Well, I applied for the Tax Use Certificate, and I used "Silverballs" as the name. There. It's done.

I look at it like this- If it works out poorly, I can change the name.

I'm not sure if this is even viable. Will people come to 1) and arcade and 2) one that only pinballs?

If IS viable, I think I'll want to move it to a location where I can be open more days of the week. I may decide to change the name at that point, or, maybe it sticks.

Now I need a list of rules. Hmm..

1) Do not beat on the games
2) No spitting, smoking, spindling, or Mutilation.
3) If you lurk you must pay.. (I'm short on room)

-B

I do sort of like that one..

Um, Eric, on another note- You've been on this board three years an you haven't chosen an Icon picture for your account?

Heh, Just razzin ya.

Have a good day everyone!

-bdPinballManiac