c;;;? Guest Editorial
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~e Absent~ne
By Greg Zink
Like most other things in the pinball industry,
amusement centers have advanced . No longer are
pinball games only found in shabby and run -down
buildings . Now amusement centers can be found in
shopping malls, airports, and other places all of which are
clean. carpeted. and well lighted .
The modernized amusement center offers a bright
future for pinball. With the large variety of games
available, opening an amusement center should prove to
be a very profitable endeavor . However , it is a regular
trend to see an amusement center that started out big
soon afterward close .
There are several reasons for this sudden ironic twist
that occurs and all tend to lead right back to the owner.
When an owner opens a gameroom , he is very
optimistic and very involved . The success of th e first few
weeks further encourage the owner. The possibility of big
profits is almost certain and then sudden Iv things change .
After an amusement center has become established.
owners on a regular basis , begin to take a less active role
in its operation . Often times an owner will hire a young
person at very low pay to run the center. In conjunction
with this. profits begin to slide . The incentive the owner
has is not present. The low -paid young employee sees
nothing but more work if the place prospers .
This taking the backseat attitude that many arcade
owners unconsciously take is one of the main reasons
why a one-time successful and very promising arcade
falls by the wayside . With an inactive owner, other
problems arrive on the scene . Without effort , gamerooms
tend to attract a number of rather undesirable features .
with drugs , vandalism , and careless driving all to often
becoming part of the amusement center environment.
This again t nds to co me about because o f the lack of
involvement by the own er . Laying th e law down right
away on wha t will be allowed and not allowed should
suffice . Letting gameroom enthusiasts know the rules and
that th e rul es will be enforced will prevent such
undesirables fro m ever happening . If it does. then th e
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ind ustry as a whole suffers with th e passage of local
ordinances, licensi ng , and moratoriums. all of which can
make growt h by amusement centers almost impossible .
Vandalism . drugs. etc . lead local reside nts to claiming
th at amusement centers as a whole are a hinderance to
their prospering com munity . But , instead of proving a
hinderance . an am usem ent center can act as a so urce of
clean entert ain m ent for a co mmunity. and an active
owner can provide this.
A fr iendly and fair o wner who adds a personal touch
can mak all the difference in th e world . Taking the ro le
o f a fri nd inst ead of a greedy owner will increase profits
and develop a respectful trust between the owners and
his customers .
One other pro blem an active owner can prevent is the
popular t enage pasttime of hanging around . N eighbors
of arcad s f el uneasy about a group of yo ungsters
hanging around the outsid e of a gam eroom . An owner
who plays games with the kid s and knows them well can
top this. After all , the mon ey and th e fun are inside .
If it eems that this is saying that most of the burden for
success or failure of an amusement cen ter fall s on the
owner . then you 've read it right. It is up to the owner to
keep th
place fro m becoming a hang-out for
undesirables . Truly successful arcades have the same
virtues a bowling alleys . Cleanliness and a source of
entertainmen t can attract business .
Looking at successful arcades , one can se an active
own r who adds a person al touch to th e center making
custom r fe I th at much more welcome . Keeping
machin in proper o rd er and o ffering a variety of games,
o f cour . ar also
s ntial for a first -rate fun cen ter .
Occasional tournaments and sp cia I co nt ests always add
to th v rsa tili ty o f a gameroom .
The cr t to an amuse m en t cen ter's success is simply
having an own r treat it as any other busi ness. with
ri ou n ss and pro fessionalism .
If an own r does th is. esp cially now with the wide
varie ty o f games available . an arcade ca n prove to be a
profitabl bu in ss th at will never tilt .
PLAY METER , March, 1979