Boynton Beach, FL
Salty
(Topic ID: 324028)
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I do hope things turn around. We used to go to vegas alot per covid and always would spend like half a day at the PHOF when we visited, but seeing the new location and so many experiences. Video tours on youtube also really paint a grim picture. I understand the situation, but it's not a sustainable one if this keeps up.
It really seems to have changed so much since it moved. Is there just too much more traffic in the new location, too many people playing and not techs to handle the flow?
Wonder if they need to consider like, closing down for a week or two to really just focus on cleaning up the place and working on the machines. Really the more that breaks down, the worse it gets as more is just going to fail and the people who go are going to be stuck all playing the same machines that are working till they do break. Seems like they will just keep breaking faster than they get fixed.
Quoted from too-many-pins:For the past 15 years (or longer) people have been complaining about the way Tim runs his business. Yet somehow he has managed to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to charity and has now built a multi million dollar building with a half million dollar sign out front and has little to no debt.
As I have said before - if you don't like the place just go somewhere else!
PHoF is not going to change as long as Tim is in charge. And once Tim is no longer doing it I doubt PHoF will exist long term.
So in the end you have one of two choices: either go and enjoy the machines that are working or just don't go at all. I am sure Tim would be just as glad if you didn't show up if all you can do is post negative stuff about the place.
But this isn't a problem for 15 years, this is all essentially what has started to happen since they moved to their new location. The PHOF always had machines down and it's ups and downs but it was pretty much fine for years. But since it moved to the new location and especially since COVID, it really seems the place is struggling to keep it's operation going smoothly. It NEVER was like this before and almost seems like its just getting worse the more it's brought to light here.
I know he's dealing with alot and their situation, but from a business perspective, having managed businesses most of my life and owner of a factory, it looks like way too much is going on with the evidence provided and that it's gonna reach a blowing over point possibly. The amount of down equipment seems to just keep growing, and with what Tim has said about how things are, it really feels like... "how are things going to get better?" When your customer traffic is being funneled to a smaller pool of machines, it's putting more stress on those machines and increasing the chance of their being breakage. The more machines down, the more pressure being put on the ones that are working. If machines are breaking down faster than they are getting repaired.... well you know that's not going to end well.
What can be done? Hire actual non volunteer techs? Put out open call for help from the community to come out and send help? As I mentioned before... consider shutting down for a while to focus on fixing and cleaning up the place to try and catch up. Cause Vegas is pretty crazy and can get waves of tourists, so your trying to fix machines while also dealing with paying customers at all long hours? This is not an easy situation. But doing what is being done currently is clearly not working
Quoted from too-many-pins:OK - Here is my issue with all of this. I'll try to keep it as short as possible and break in down into 5 main points.
First off Tim is by far the most successful arcade operator in the world so why would he change the way he does things?
Second - yes Tim did start a go-fund-me to raise a little extra money because of unforeseen issues Covid caused. But that $200,000 from the go-fund-me amounted to less than 1/2 of what the sign alone cost so it isn't like everyone "stepped up" and funded 1/2 the cost of the new building or anything like that.
Third - Tim devotes nearly 100 hours a week (for free & not even taking lunch money out of the PHoF budget) according to what the volunteers told me when I was talking to them on one of my visits. Any rational person would have retired at his age instead of taking on something like that new building but Tim loves to work and to give back to society so that is what he does.
Fourth - If you don't like what is going on at PHoF why not volunteer and help Tim get machines fixed instead of bitching about the place.
And lastly is the "definition of insanity" -- definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Basically everyone knows Tim isn't going to change so why keep beating a dead horse.
Now for why I always jump in and defend Tim. It isn't because I know him well in fact the two times I talked to him in person he was as abrasive as everyone says he is & maybe even a little worse. But he is human and I know I wouldn't like to keep reading negatives about what I was doing if I was working my ass off FOR FREE and I was doing all I could to keep improving things.
Again it is really pretty simple - either just accept PHoF for what it is / volunteer to help make it better / or just don't go at all. But bottom line is expecting things to change as long as Tim is running the place is a perfect example of insanity.
Have fun debating how things should be / what Tim should be doing / etc. Bottom line is it is what it is and it isn't going to change just because a few Pinsiders think it should.
This is a too simple way of looking at it though. Clearly there is a growing problem, how is this not evident? So your first point of Tim knows what he's doing.... is it really? Cause things don't seem to be looking too hot right now and seem to be getting worse.
Helping out... how? Many of us would be useless as we don't have tech experience so again, how are we gonna go help, especially if we don't live anywhere nearby. Perhaps theres a way to donate to help? Sure, why not, i'm sure some would be happy to, but it's not like we all have know how or bags of tools ready to go to vegas and work.
And not going... well that's a terrible solution that does no help to anyone. Folks love the PHOF and they are concerned cause they do. So instead of being concerned they should just F off? That helps no one
Quoted from Spiderpin:Maybe PHOF could scale back the charity that they give and invest that money in getting some pins up and running. It's in the best interest of a charitable organization to receive and little donation for awhile than none at all forever.
I also gave to the Go Fund Me.
And if I ever make it to Las Vegas, I'll stop by PHOF.
Basically this. Charities can't depend solely on charitable volunteers, pretty much all have to spend some of that money on operations which includes repairs. The construction of the new place, the sign, all of that was clearly not done all by charitable workers, someone had to get paid. If cuts to the charitable aspects is needed then probably the way it needs to go. Even if it's just part time side gig for a decent tech. Local Pinball Museum here has techs that on their side do house calls when possible. I'm sure some techs would be out there willing to do some gigs for a couple days here or there when needed.
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