Have you ever thought of quitting your job and…

[Lordstar]

right now Liverpool would not be the perfect place for one.

Far from perfect, but in grand central near the milkshake bar (next to the gardens) could just about make money though.

~1000 emo/goth/gegger/punks passing through every saturday, at least 100 of which seem to hang around the gardens all day (most of them are little rich kids too, with more money than sense - just like most of the quiggins-kids were). A few hundred through the week plus loads of students during the week.

It's one of the few locations I think it would be possible on merseyside - still a massive gamble.

That and the guy who runs grand central is a tosser. :p

The rent in Liverpool is some of the most expensive in the country compared to the number of people there. not to mention the rates which are highway robery. ive no doubt that the people are there for it but the rates/rent would just consume all the cash flow. Maybe after the hype of 2008 is over it might settle but right now theres hundreds of empty shop lots and thousands of empty aparptments and thats becuase no one can afford it.

It would need to be some kind of Arcade/bar/Live house and be open 7 days a week for it to come close to turning a profit.
Trust me ive looked in to it.

[Checen Rebel]

The rent in Liverpool is some of the most expensive in the country compared to the number of people there. not to mention the rates which are highway robery.

And greater merseyside in general. The prices landlords want are a joke. rates is a lot more reasonable - I've certainly seen worse in that regards.

Maybe after the hype of 2008 is over it might settle

I doubt it, it's always been like this.

but right now theres hundreds of empty shop lots and thousands of empty aparptments and thats becuase no one can afford it.

Again, liverpool has always been like this (it's actually less empty now than it was) - my overriding memories of liverpool in the 80's is the massive amount of empty buildings just falling into disrepair.

With regards to the "apartments" (sorry, but I'm not american - estate agents can use that word, but it's still a flat), well what do you expect when Cynthia developers throw houses/flats up everywhere. The whole country is suffering the same problem.

It would need to be some kind of Arcade/bar/Live house and be open 7 days a week for it to come close to turning a profit.

Yep, which is why somewhere like grand central (or the palace before it got closed down and turned into yet more flats or even quiggins if it had been bigger) would be ideal. There is a pub/bar/cafe/milk bar/shops all sharing one space which is used as a meeting point and hanging space for thousands of kids and teens every week, many of whom are getting £60 a week pocket money and blowing it on utter ****.


I've not been to afflecks palace in manchester for a couple of years, but they used the same formula - lots of shops/cafes/bar and stick an arcade in the middle of it, although apparently the guy who maintained them retired or something and they are down to a few "classics" now. The Coliseum also did the same thing, before it got shut down.

[Lordstar]

I did look in to quiggins as an option. Its the cheapest by far. I know a guy who is very good friends with the guy who owns the place. Unfortunately whenever ive gone in to the "new" quiggins its been pretty empty even on a Saturday nothing like the old place which was heaving from 3PM up until closing at 11PM or later (with the bar)

lol yeah apartments are flats same difference dude. But as where before housing was avaliable but good housing was sparse its now just so overpriced a lot of people who are working just cant afford it. the same goes for the shop fronts there so high priced its hard to get your foot in.
quiggins has had arcades in the past (a MVS multi slot if i recall) its a difficult one which would need a lot of fwd planning.

I dont have the cash to do it now but it something i have been thinking about quite a bit. I know i would need a qualified electrician to make all the Imported cabs ok to use in the UK. I would also need a few K to play with to get the cabs in the country. I would likely get at least 10 sitdowns and rent a few sega dedicated majiggers or buy off andy geezer. Thing is I could do it financially in say 2010 or 2012 but I doubt i could be there to man it as I know i have my head wrapped up in my Corprate wear biz and I doubt I will be getting any calmer for at least the next 5 years maybe a little sooner if my brother comes on board to ease my work load.

[John James Pacinelli]

I lived in Liverpool for a while. The city was undergoing a radical change because of 08. I believe the city has potential for an arcade. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy, you have to choose your location very carefully. But I think you might actually pull it off.

[Checen Rebel]

I did look in to quiggins as an option. Its the cheapest by far. I know a guy who is very good friends with the guy who owns the place. Unfortunately whenever ive gone in to the "new" quiggins its been pretty empty even on a Saturday nothing like the old place which was heaving from 3PM up until closing at 11PM or later (with the bar)

Someone who was friends with the tierneys? lies, they are friendless scum. =] They are some of the worst for profiteering - the prices they charged for units was ridiculous.

And pete has finally outed himself as a nazi - he's gonna get the same kicking the rest of the right get around here.

Grand central has pretty much the exact same crowd on a weekend as quiggins did (excluding the evenings of course, although when the bar was still open there was some overspill - it's going to be an indian restaurant now), during the week it can be quite dead but then so was quiggins from mon-wed. Most retailers have seen takings increase whilst the smaller units are actually paying less in rent.

quiggins has had arcades in the past (a MVS multi slot if i recall) its a difficult one which would need a lot of fwd planning.

Yep, in the brooke cafe during the mid 90's they had a part sectioned off with cabs in, but pete sacked the old guy who maintained the place to save costs. Then didn't have a clue how to look after the machines.

[Lordstar]

LOL! its a small world after all. I recon i will likely know you from out and about If you used to hang around quiggins and such. How old are you dude?

[Ringtail]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48043484@N00/

This new one opening in LA today looks like it has promise. I wanna go!

I dunno I hate the all candy cabs thing. Don't get me wrong I know they are fantastic to play on but it kinda gives the arcade a really cold atmosphere as opposed to walking into an older arcade full of dedicated cabs with sideart and big stonking marquees. I hope it goes well for them but it's just not very inviting looking :/

[Lordstar]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48043484@N00/

This new one opening in LA today looks like it has promise. I wanna go!

I dunno I hate the all candy cabs thing. Don't get me wrong I know they are fantastic to play on but it kinda gives the arcade a really cold atmosphere as opposed to walking into an older arcade full of dedicated cabs with sideart and big stonking marquees. I hope it goes well for them but it's just not very inviting looking :/

I agree! they need to get one or two dedicated cabs in there and really go all out on the Artwork on the walls. Theres too many cool arcade posters not to fill all that tasty wall space

[Checen Rebel]

LOL! its a small world after all. I recon i will likely know you from out and about If you used to hang around quiggins and such. How old are you dude?

I'm 30 but I didn't hang around there much though - I always preferred manchester, leeds and sheffield when I was younger. The missus was a proper quiggins rat though, her and a few friends pretty much lived there from the late 90's to the early 00's. She's only 25 though.

Well there and the krazyhouse - who had bouncers that would let underage goth girls in if they showed their tits. Nice job if you can get it... =]

It's the palace that I miss (not the way it was just before it shut - the way it was upto about 95).


To get back on topic - I wouldn't do it at all to be honest. Doing something that you enjoy as a hobby and turning it into a business is a sure way of changing your opinion of that hobby. I used to obsessively love games, then I opened an indie game shop about 8 years ago. It made me hate games with a passion, and even now there are very few games I can be bothered to play - and none for more than 20mins at a time.

[Mr. H]

Yes. There is a nice sized building for rent right now right across the street from the college in my home town. I've often thought about it, but there's no way I would have the money to get something like that off of the ground. I'd have to move back in with my folks at the age of 30 and save EVERYTHING for 2 years....then maybe. IMO, this is one of the choicest places I've ever seen for an arcade. We have a Scandia in town, so I'd have to make this arcade more for adults with full bars and real food to order. The place already has a bar and a full kitchen. It would just be taking out most of the booths and tables for games. It's so close you can actually see the enterence to the school from the front door of the place. The school has 8000+ plus students and having somewhere to drink and game within walking distance would be awesome. I also know college kids are broke, so I'd make food/drinks fairly priced and the games based on credits. SSU students get 2 free credits with every beer, lol. or something like that. Anyways...all a dream. Not going to happen. But, fun to think about.

[John James Pacinelli]

Well what I actually meant was "have you ever FANTASIZED of quitting your job and open an arcade. But it's good to see that some of you guys are actually seriously thinking abt opening up an arcade. I respect you, it takes moxie....
and about 20 grand

[Pete]

They still have HOTD2 at my local, just shows that this game is still making cash after 10 years.

we still have hodt1

Would like to get that, but the woodie cab is too big & heavy.

[John James Pacinelli]

ArcadeUfo is doing good.

http://arcadeheroes.com/2008/09/17/more ... -in-texas/

http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/09/a-n ... de-in.html

YEAH! COME BACK!COME BACK!COME BACK!COME BACK!COME BACK!COME BACK!COME BACK!COME BACK!COME BACK!

[pubjoe]

Right, I'm going to make a post that I may in the future delete as it's a bit personal.

- [aaaaaaaand cut ] -

Any opinions?

[John James Pacinelli]

I think that an arcade business is suicide round here->
You got it. I forecast a comeback in the US. Times are too mature for a comeback in the UK or Europe.

[John James Pacinelli]

Some very interesting videos, thanks to arcadeheroes for posting these vids:


http://www.revver.com/video/1150911/arc ... tion-part/

[pubjoe]

you know, it's ****. Big chains monopolize everything. Hard to think of any little shop/business that could survive.

Admittidly though, an arcade isn't the first thing you should think of.

[Mr. H]

I think it just has to go towards the right crowd. Make it a nice place, some pool tables, full bar, good food, fair prices, some redemption for winning your girl something, lots of shooting and driving games....IMO, Dave and Busters here in Nor Cal does just fine. There is nowhere around like it and the line was out the door just for the food. You start a hole in the wall with just some cabs and a quarter/change machine....it's not going too far. Like I said before, we have a scandia that's been here since I was a kid. But golf, the boats, race track, batting cages, and redemption get way more draw than the actual games. IMO, you need more than a bunch of cabs to make an arcade stay alive these days. Even though the tech guy has been getting in some much better games as of late.

It would be a fun adventure though ,lol...anyone got $40,000 to "give" me for my adventure? LOL

[ElectricFrenzy]

I'm a new member here. I found this forum in a search and this thread particularly caught my attention. I'm the owner of a very successful retro-arcade in the US.

I don't think arcades are dead (yet) but they have to be managed smartly. You guys who mentioned having to blend the arcade machines with other forms of entertainment are 100% correct. The higher cost of the machines makes it more difficult to earn a R.O.I.. By supplementing your income with other attractions you can EASILY float a nice arcade. I'm not so cash-rich that I can go and import a SFIV cab right now but I could easily justify the purchase (if the console games were released a year or so afterwards).

Just FYI, location is VERY important. I've opened my shop in a small college town with nothing to do. I instantly became the "it thing in town" and started turning a profit only 6 weeks into business. I'm now doubling the size of my location by new years and will be including a lot more arcade machines. I plan on doing this by purchasing numerous candy cabs and 30-40 different arcade boards. I'd be able to keep a "fresh inventory" rotated out every month.

My web page will be open in the next few weeks and I'd invite you all to check it out and see what I've done.

p.s. I actually did quit my job and open an arcade and it's been very good to me. Even with such a bad economy like we're seeing now.

[pubjoe]

Well done ElectricFrenzy! Thanks for sharing.