Town forces retro arcade/pinball museum/store to shut down. Pinball is illegal there.

[Hack&Lube]

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/08/12...con-ny-en.html

That's saddening, that store/museum looks fantastic. It's hilarious how many American cities actually banned arcades in the 40s because they were to believed to be run by organized crime. Reminds me of what my parents told me when they didn't allow me to go into arcades as a kid. They thought they were full of gangsters and drug dealers.

[bradster57]

I never understood peoples fascination over "wacky laws" but it certainly seems weird that one of them was enforced.

And to be fair, when I was a kid in a small town, I know our arcade was run by drug dealers

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by bradster57

I never understood peoples fascination over "wacky laws" but it certainly seems weird that one of them was enforced.

And to be fair, when I was a kid in a small town, I know our arcade was run by drug dealers

I remember a story from a friend in Vancouver who told me that around 2000, there was a strange arcade in the middle of nowhere with tons of great games but when he went in, it was totally empty. When he tried to play games, he found out that the difficulty levels were all cranked up to maximum to encourage people NOT to play. Turns out it was a front for drugs of course.

[Kipper is King]

The story is updated with a comment by the mayor saying the real issue was noise.

I guess the only excitement in Beacon, NY comes from crickets chirping.

[Russic]

I smell a sequel to Footloose.

[Kybosh]

That arcade that was on 7th Ave in Calgary was for sure a front for shady business.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

That arcade that was on 7th Ave in Calgary was for sure a front for shady business.

Yeah, I remember staring at that place from the C-Train platform every day wondering just what the heck was going on. Every now and then the shopkeeper in a smock (older middle eastern man?) would walk out and look around on the street. It looked a little sad, like he was looking for customers. Maybe he was being a look-out.

Does anybody know what the deal was with that place?

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/08/12...con-ny-en.html

That's saddening, that store/museum looks fantastic. It's hilarious how many American cities actually banned arcades in the 40s because they were to believed to be run by organized crime. Reminds me of what my parents told me when they didn't allow me to go into arcades as a kid. They thought they were full of gangsters and drug dealers.

Many of them were...and were a facade for much nastier stuff. And this was many many years later as well.


A great cover for bad guys...a cash business that was hard to "hear" into.

[troutman]

Reverend Shaw Moore: Even if this was not a law, which it is, I'm afraid I would have a lot of difficulty endorsing an enterprise which is as fraught with genuine peril as I believe this one to be. Besides the liquor and the drugs which always seem to accompany such an event the thing that distresses me even more, Ren, is the spiritual corruption that can be involved. These dances and this kind of music can be destructive, and, uh, Ren, I'm afraid you're going to find most of the people in our community are gonna agree with me on this.

[puckluck]

My parents didn't want me in arcades when I was younger either. Like your parents H&L, they thought only gangsters and drug dealers were at the arcades.

[Nage Waza]

I was just visiting the Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas, it ruled. Plan on spending a couple of hours at least.

[To Be Quite Honest]

I would first of all like to thank God for this fine museum of me, and secondly that there are a various selection of arcade games here to lure our fine children. It is important that our generations and our generations generations learn the value that Pinball can give to everyone. Thank you and god bless.



WHAT! Closed down?! ILLEGAL! Well I would first of all like to thank God for trying to build this fine museum of me...

[Nuje]

If "noise" was the complaint, then a noise law was what they should've enforced. On dumb laws note, I wonder if "Dragging a dead horse down Yonge Street" is still against the law in Toronto, and if it is, would they actually name it if they caught someone doing it.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by bradster57

And to be fair, when I was a kid in a small town, I know our arcade was run by drug dealers

Same here.

[Nuje]

Originally Posted by kunkstyle

Same here.

With your avatar I gotta ask, was it in Winnipeg?

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Yeah, I remember staring at that place from the C-Train platform every day wondering just what the heck was going on. Every now and then the shopkeeper in a smock (older middle eastern man?) would walk out and look around on the street. It looked a little sad, like he was looking for customers. Maybe he was being a look-out.

Does anybody know what the deal was with that place?

HA, we used to call that guy the 'game nazi' in Jr High school because if you simply stood in the arcade watching your buddy play, he would kick you out.

[Deelow]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Yeah, I remember staring at that place from the C-Train platform every day wondering just what the heck was going on. Every now and then the shopkeeper in a smock (older middle eastern man?) would walk out and look around on the street. It looked a little sad, like he was looking for customers. Maybe he was being a look-out.

Does anybody know what the deal was with that place?

Pot dealers used to hang out there. Small time drugs. Not sure if it had anything to do with ownership or management.