(Topic ID: 328446)

you got to be kidding......

By boilerman

1 year ago


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  • 187 posts
  • 67 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 7 days ago by poppapin
  • Topic is favorited by 19 Pinsiders

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    There are 187 posts in this topic. You are on page 3 of 4.
    #101 1 year ago
    Quoted from Electrocute:

    Noticed he left out Todd Tuckey.

    https://www.youtube.com/live/e4s0bZYnp08?feature=share&t=8111

    That might explain it.

    Seems kind of ungrateful given all the advertising he was given.

    #102 1 year ago

    I’ll give him this, he does the self-declaring victory in the face of defeat quite well.

    It takes a whole lot of gumption and belief in yourself to open any business. But it also takes a whole lot of financial management to survive financial reality. You can’t bluff your way to a profit.

    His main issue is that the finances didn’t work out despite having likely pretty low rent in Ephrata. Moving to Lancaster - double your rent. And rent should have been only 25% of your cost.

    The even bigger issue is that no matter where one moves it will take time to even get back to where you were attendance wise. Yes there are hardcore patrons, but most probably have still yet to discover his business. All survivable but you have to have cash reserves to get over than hump.

    #103 1 year ago
    Quoted from pookycade:

    Yes there are hardcore patrons, but most probably have still yet to discover his business.

    Or going somewhere else or doing something else.

    Hard to rebuild your patrons.

    LTG : )

    #104 1 year ago

    Always has been and always will be cringy and embarrassing.

    #105 1 year ago

    I think I see now why things panned out the way they did. I don’t see a wallet on that there patron

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    #106 1 year ago
    Quoted from LTG:

    Or going somewhere else or doing something else.
    Hard to rebuild your patrons.
    LTG : )

    Heck we just moved a couple of weeks back 2 miles from our current location after we lost our lease on the old place (doing a $2M renovation on our former warehouse to make ghost kitchens). Admittedly, we are now on the downtown mall in a much higher foot traffic area, so we should do better overall. But I anticipate a brief dip in attendance as people wonder whether we closed. Also I can’t imagine moving all those games into shipping containers and then moving them back out again to a new location.

    If Stephen didn’t have such disdain towards everyone trying to give him advice on Pinside, I’d be willing to help him look over the books and see how he might fix this. I’m sure you would too. But as he has told us many times he knows everything, we all know nothing, mogul in the making. Only wants our GoFundMe donations and he will take care of the rest.

    #107 1 year ago
    Quoted from Acronymicon:

    https://www.youtube.com/live/e4s0bZYnp08?feature=share&t=8111
    That might explain it.
    Seems kind of ungrateful given all the advertising he was given.

    So he blames Todd for the closing of Gameseum ????

    That right there is some major lack of insight. But we knew that already didn’t we ?

    1 week later
    #108 12 months ago

    Well, the space is available for $1500/month. It would be kinda funny to open another arcade there even just for a little while. Or at least do a Kickstarter for one.

    https://lancasteronline.com/business/whats_in_store/gameseum-permanently-closed-in-ephrata-retro-arcade-debuted-in-june-2019/article_30f93bf6-bdc4-11ed-83fa-ef30cc2aac18.html

    #109 12 months ago
    Quoted from emkay:

    Well, the space is available for $1500/month. It would be kinda funny to open another arcade there even just for a little while. Or at least do a Kickstarter for one.
    https://lancasteronline.com/business/whats_in_store/gameseum-permanently-closed-in-ephrata-retro-arcade-debuted-in-june-2019/article_30f93bf6-bdc4-11ed-83fa-ef30cc2aac18.html

    That seems cheap. Shitty neiborhood?

    #110 12 months ago

    His notoriety has probably ruined any chance of an arcade succeeding at that location. Also, who would want to follow in his footsteps?

    21
    #111 12 months ago
    Quoted from Electrocute:

    Also, who would want to follow in his footsteps?

    You mean, who would want to follow in his sweatpants!

    #112 12 months ago

    " He did not respond to messages from LNP | LancasterOnline asking if he would consider opening an arcade elsewhere."

    Gotta be the first time he's passed up a chance to speak.

    #113 12 months ago
    Quoted from emkay:

    Well, the space is available for $1500/month. It would be kinda funny to open another arcade there even just for a little while. Or at least do a Kickstarter for one.
    https://lancasteronline.com/business/whats_in_store/gameseum-permanently-closed-in-ephrata-retro-arcade-debuted-in-june-2019/article_30f93bf6-bdc4-11ed-83fa-ef30cc2aac18.html

    $1500 a month??? I almost pay more for that in storage. That guy is an A-1 doofus

    #114 12 months ago

    The whole town knows who he is. Is that a good thing?

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    #115 12 months ago

    His boasted income was clearly never there.

    I recall a TNT video not too long ago, hearing Todd say to Steven "...You need money..." during one of their recorded conversations.

    Now Steven blames his failure on Todd for not filming at his location. This is just sad.

    Having the collectors bug is one thing. Opening an arcade to finance the habit is another.

    -5
    #116 12 months ago

    RIP gaymuseum

    Added 12 months ago:

    One too many I guess. I don’t remember typing this. Poor taste. Apologies.

    #117 12 months ago
    Quoted from Flowst:

    His boasted income was clearly never there.
    I recall a TNT video not too long ago, hearing Todd say to Steven "...You need money..." during one of their recorded conversations.
    Now Steven blames his failure on Todd for not filming at his location. This is just sad.
    Having the collectors bug is one thing. Opening an arcade to finance the habit is another.

    That was always Steve’s problem, a sense of entitlement and petty grudge holder.

    Seeing him turn on Todd is sadder than hearing jerry Lewis trash Martin!!

    Todd wasn’t going down with that ship and he’d already gone above and beyond.

    #118 12 months ago

    always laughed when he posted photos or video saying the place was booming...yet there were only a handful of people there

    #119 12 months ago
    Quoted from emkay:

    Well, the space is available for $1500/month.

    He couldn’t make it work at that rent ? Unbelievable. So let’s assume rent is 25% of your cost, it costs him $6K a month to run the place. He charges $12 a head, that’s 500 people a month as your breakeven.

    Either:

    1) it was so poorly attended it would never work

    2) he took on substantial debt to fund his opening and the interest on it (credit cards ?) was substantial.

    3) he was trying to make it his livelihood, then it gets really problematic. Labor should be 25% of costs. At $1500 for labor that gets you to $18k a year. Non-survivable wage unless you have another job.

    4) he committed the standard owner fallacy watching daily totals: Wow I made $4000 revenue this weekend, I’m rich, let’s go buy some more stuff with all my winnings.

    It just all doesn’t add up. The standard reason for closing is that the landlord yanks your lease or jacks your rent. That seems not to be the case here.

    #120 12 months ago
    Quoted from pookycade:

    It just all doesn’t add up

    Sure it does… you’re talking how someone with some responsibility should act and this kid has none and never will.

    You need to put things through the lens of the brat

    #121 12 months ago
    Quoted from Electrocute:

    His notoriety has probably ruined any chance of an arcade succeeding at that location. Also, who would want to follow in his footsteps?

    To be perfectly honest, I was amazed how many people in Ephrata were and still are supportive of him. I lived there back in the 90's and still have strong ties to the community. Every time I'm out that way, people who know I'm into pinball ask me if I've been there.

    I just tell 'em no, but I've got the shirt. #paytheboob

    #122 12 months ago
    Quoted from sevenrites:

    He closed the business but kept the go fund me up as of this post. Real classy.

    You can report the GoFundMe for fraud. https://www.gofundme.com/contact/suggest/fraud
    The campaign url is https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-gameseum-recover-postcovid

    The report that the Arcade is permanently closed is at https://lancasteronline.com/business/whats_in_store/gameseum-permanently-closed-in-ephrata-retro-arcade-debuted-in-june-2019/article_30f93bf6-bdc4-11ed-83fa-ef30cc2aac18.html

    I doubt GoFundMe will bother trying to claw back the $270 that was donated but they might prevent future fundraisers on their platform.

    #123 12 months ago

    Just curious - Did anybody ever see the "museum" portion of the 'federally regulated trademark' name?

    I don't recall seeing posts on all the museum pieces, displays, information and history of each curated item, etc. And was just sort of curious how that part of the name ever wound up being implemented.

    For all the confusion the name may have produced, and the advertising as a museum, I honestly thought (especially during the down closed time) there would be more displays, plaques, write ups, etc. But I don't recall personally seeing any posts with anything.

    #124 12 months ago
    Quoted from flynnibus:

    Sure it does… you’re talking how someone with some responsibility should act and this kid has none and never will.
    You need to put things through the lens of the brat

    True that. I guess this is the arcade version of thinking you make such great food that you should open a restaurant. And then running that restaurant into the ground. A successful restaurant has very little to do with the food, and much more about whether you know how to control costs.

    #125 12 months ago
    Quoted from emkay:

    To be perfectly honest, I was amazed how many people in Ephrata were and still are supportive of him. I lived there back in the 90's and still have strong ties to the community. Every time I'm out that way, people who know I'm into pinball ask me if I've been there.
    I just tell 'em no, but I've got the shirt. #paytheboob

    The paying public usually has very little insight into the machinations of business owners behavior. Playing inside baseball I am privy to multiple instances of owners hosing over their employees or working some very shady angles or representing themselves as what they are most definitely not. In fact I would say it is more normalized to do so than running a clean business and staying humble, and it is the way to get ahead. Can’t do it personally with my own enterprises, but when it’s incentivized, it becomes expected and I get it. Stephen may not be the aberration people make him out to be. That said he needs to do a better job running his businesses.

    #126 12 months ago
    Quoted from pookycade:

    That said he needs to do a better job running his businesses.

    Or better at Gofund me's. Last one didn't do so hot.

    LTG : )

    4 weeks later
    #127 11 months ago
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    #128 11 months ago

    Guessing fiancé #2 didn't work out?

    #129 11 months ago
    Quoted from emkay:

    Guessing fiancé #2 didn't work out?

    I think the dog died and he left #1 for #2. Changed his mind and went back to #1. I guess.

    #130 11 months ago
    Quoted from Electrocute:

    I think the dog died and he left #1 for #2. Changed his mind and went back to #1. I guess.

    On tonight's episode of "As the Silverball Turns..."

    16
    #131 11 months ago
    Quoted from WalrusPin:

    On tonight's episode of "As the Silverball Turns..."

    "The Young and the Sweatpants"

    #132 11 months ago
    Quoted from RCA1:

    "The Young and the Sweatpants"

    "All My Flippers" and "Guiding Plunger"

    #133 11 months ago

    I thought him and Todd Tuckey had a falling out? I guess they kissed and made up.

    2 months later
    #135 8 months ago

    Holy FAK!

    #136 8 months ago

    Karma.

    #137 8 months ago

    That is crazy.

    13
    #138 8 months ago

    Go Fund Me for legal expenses in 3....2....1....

    #139 8 months ago

    I heard that Steven is really choked up over closing Gameseum.

    #140 8 months ago

    He’s just an Excitable Boy!

    #141 8 months ago

    What’s the over under on girlfriend vs. grandma? As victim?

    #142 8 months ago
    Quoted from PismoArcade:

    Go Fund Me for legal expenses in 3....2....1....

    #143 8 months ago

    It’s hard convincing women to help move your heavy games

    #144 8 months ago

    Way back when he was asking for money for sump pump and games, he claimed health issues why he couldn't work.

    Seems strong enough for this ?

    A perfect example of the great white hopeless.

    LTG : )

    #145 8 months ago

    Anyone know if VanStrangler ever sold his games or are they still in storage?

    #146 8 months ago

    Hey... the Go Fund Me raised ... $270!

    #147 8 months ago

    It appears all of the charges were dismissed on 03/28/2023.

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    #148 8 months ago
    Quoted from brucipher:

    It appears all of the charges were dismissed on 03/28/2023.

    There wasn't a go fund me to pay off the victim.

    So his girlfriend must have forgave him.

    LTG : )

    #149 8 months ago

    Whoever posted bail is probably out $500

    #150 8 months ago
    Quoted from brucipher:

    It appears all of the charges were dismissed on 03/28/2023.
    [quoted image]

    None of us were there, so we will never know what actually happened.
    Try not to judge him.

    There are 187 posts in this topic. You are on page 3 of 4.

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