Old school arcade-gauging interest

[Northendzone]

for a office team building thing yes., it would be a consideration.

otherwise not likely.

I should note it has the potential to be a cool and different idea though. I hope you can make it work out for yourself.

[RougeUnderoos]

For myself and the people I know who love video games and drinking, which is a fair number, it would have to be in Mission, on 17th, in the Beltline, on 1st Street, on 11th. Near places they already go and don't have to make a whole night of it, like you would say going bowling.

[KevanGuy]

There must be spaces with bars already installed, places that have gone under. As Sliver pointed out above, renos will likely be over budget.

[Hessen]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

This building right here:
https://goo.gl/maps/QmQQ45t1bR32

No idea what it looks like on the inside, but that awning is perfect.

I used to work by that building. It was a video store downstairs. It stood out because the sign in the window said "made in Calgary porn!" May want to check it out with a blacklight...

[Bobblehead]

That place that used to be by the theatres in Eau Claire was exactly like people are describing - it only ever looked busy during corporate events.

I suppose it was because Eau Claire seems to kill everything in there, but I would be concerned if it is an idea that lots of people like the sound of but won't actually visit and do. It is nice to reminisce, but when the machines are all $1 or $2 to play people will decide a home system and beer from the nearby store are cheaper.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by KevanGuy

There must be spaces with bars already installed, places that have gone under. As Sliver pointed out above, renos will likely be over budget.

That is why Lounge Burger came to mind for me. I'm assuming the kitchen and bar are still in place. You just have to fill it with machines and you are ready to go. On game night you could have a pretty decent crowd rolling through before/after the game.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Have you talked to my friend Dave and Buster? Because if you're looking for a better steak in an arcade center your sh*t out of luck

[gildo]

Usually the biggest hit for some of us guys is a beer in one hand and playing Golden Tee golf if we see it in a pub or bar.

[rain_e]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Upfront costs must be huge for an arcade as each machine is $2000 to $5000 (maybe more for those fancy motion machines.) I'm assuming there must be companies that lease arcade machines.

But once those quarters come rolling in...

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

That place that used to be by the theatres in Eau Claire was exactly like people are describing - it only ever looked busy during corporate events.

I suppose it was because Eau Claire seems to kill everything in there, but I would be concerned if it is an idea that lots of people like the sound of but won't actually visit and do. It is nice to reminisce, but when the machines are all $1 or $2 to play people will decide a home system and beer from the nearby store are cheaper.

Yeah, that would have me nervous, too. Nothing in Eau Claire could ever survive, but even without the Eau Claire Curse this business has enormous start-up costs so I'd be hesitant unless you loved risk and had deep pockets.

What's potentially different now versus the 1990s is us guys in our 30s and 40s play video games. When arcades were booming in the 1980s and early 1990s, nobody over say 25 played. I remember when I'd go into them as a kid and my dad would give me a few bucks to get quarters he'd just kind of stand around while I played. Now, I'd be all over it while my kids are playing. My friends are all the same.

If you get the dads playing and having a beer or two, all of a sudden a family that walks in and would have spent $4 in 1987 is going to be spending $40 or $50 in 2016. Grab a beer or two and feed the machines with your kid. I know I would.

Calgary is also hurting for indoor activities in the winter months. That new tennis centre is going to be fun so I'm glad that's open now, but by January/February, you're sick of killing time by walking around the mall and you've seen every movie that's out there. This seems like a fun thing that could attract people ages 5-45.

[northcrunk]

I don't know about an 'office teambuilding' focus. Most people over 40 never grew up with video games and they only games they play are bejewelled or candy crush. If you market towards the under 40 crowd and kids you will do well. Most people 30-40 remember going to the arcade as kids and want to give their kids that experience. If it's over $1 for a game I'm out though. Most frustrating thing that killed the arcade imo. .25 cents was perfect. Once it got up to 6-8 'tokens' to play that cost .25 each screw that.

[Sliver]

Another thing that's really popular now is birthday parties for kids at venues. We just did laser tag a couple weeks ago for my son. My buddy did a gymnastics place this month for his kid. Everybody has parties out, whereas when I was growing up all the birthday parties were at a kid's house. This could be another venue for birthday parties and that is lucrative. There are a ton of add-ons with really high margins for stuff like that, too (you supply loot bags, cake, pizza, whatever and people will pay up).

[NuclearFart]

Originally Posted by Hessen

I used to work by that building. It was a video store downstairs. It stood out because the sign in the window said "made in Calgary porn!" May want to check it out with a blacklight...

I thought it was a pool hall - Sunset billiards - or something like that. It might already have some of the bar the infrastructure in place.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

I don't know about an 'office teambuilding' focus. Most people over 40 never grew up with video games and they only games they play are bejewelled or candy crush. If you market towards the under 40 crowd and kids you will do well. Most people 30-40 remember going to the arcade as kids and want to give their kids that experience. If it's over $1 for a game I'm out though. Most frustrating thing that killed the arcade imo. .25 cents was perfect. Once it got up to 6-8 'tokens' to play that cost .25 each screw that.

I wouldn't worry about that. I don't know why anybody would expect a game to cost only $0.25 in 2016. A customer shouldn't expect games to have stayed the same price they were 30 years ago, and if they do it's not the kind of customer you want, anyway.

I agree with you that the focus shouldn't be teambuilding events. Teambuilding parties are the lamest thing you could ever do, anyway. They're for losers that don't have real friends. Nobody cool likes forced social interaction with their coworkers. The raddest thing my old boss did when I was in the corporate world was just let us all go at noon or whatever in lieu of teambuilding exercises. Now that would put a smile on our faces.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by northcrunk

I don't know about an 'office teambuilding' focus. Most people over 40 never grew up with video games and they only games they play are bejewelled or candy crush. If you market towards the under 40 crowd and kids you will do well. Most people 30-40 remember going to the arcade as kids and want to give their kids that experience. If it's over $1 for a game I'm out though. Most frustrating thing that killed the arcade imo. .25 cents was perfect. Once it got up to 6-8 'tokens' to play that cost .25 each screw that.

I'm over 40. Donkey Kong, PacMan, Frogger, all the classics were started when I was a kid. Pong is old for me. I got a game console (atari - looked like a computer though) which I used to become an expert at Wizard of Wor. I was 12. Video games have been ruining our minds for quite a while.

edit....to contribute to the OP, the challenge one would have in starting an arcade (be it adult or family) is your competition is everyone's house.

[habernac]

Closer to 50 than 40, totally grew up with video games.

[surferguy]

The old Drum and Monkey is the perfect location for this

[Mazrim]

This is definitely a niche, but there's a large gap in the city for arcade rhythm games these days. There's a group of people who I know would be all over a well maintained Dance Dance Revolution or In the Groove machine (also, the newest version of DDR just came out), and the only ones left in the city are all in bad shape and/or literally outside the City itself (ie. Shakers or CrossIron Mills).

I have a friend who owns an awesome machine but has nowhere to put it. There's a demand, it just needs a space.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

This is definitely a niche, but there's a large gap in the city for arcade rhythm games these days. There's a group of people who I know would be all over a well maintained Dance Dance Revolution or In the Groove machine (also, the newest version of DDR just came out), and the only ones left in the city are all in bad shape and/or literally outside the City itself (ie. Shakers or CrossIron Mills).

I have a friend who owns an awesome machine but has nowhere to put it. There's a demand, it just needs a space.

I remember when I was at the UofC (2000-2006) the arcade was always packed with a pretty decent lineup for DDR.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I remember when I was at the UofC (2000-2006) the arcade was always packed with a pretty decent lineup for DDR.

Yup! I was one of those people who hung around the DDR and Drummania machines on a regular basis. No better way to stay in shape!