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Is this a good idea?
thefreakhouse:
This is in reference to the thread about arcade games being found in laundromats.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=64237.0.
In the area where we live there are many places that have arcade machines hidden in corners. Many of which have been used and abused and are no longer functioning properly though the operators keep them plugged in. I know that some of the machines I have found are owned and operated by the local vending companies. But There are a few that I would assume are operated by the business owners where they sitting at (like the laundromats). There's a few machines I would love to get my hands on. One in particular is an Addams Family pinball machine that has a few minor problems (found at the local municipal airport...needs a little TLC.)
My question is have any of you ever contacted a private business owner to negotiate purchasing their machine? If so, what's the best etiquette for doing this? I feel kind of weird calling someone out of the blue to ask them if they'd be interested in departing with their arcade machines. Plus I don't know exactly what I should offer them if I do being as I assume that the owner doesn't know the collector value or the cost to fix the machine.
am_monkee:
yes! if you're interested in getting old cabs, just call up a few places and ask them if they have any they'd like to get rid of. a lot of times, they'll just throw them out when they're done with them (a tragedy, i know). most people are happy to have someone haul them away. if you're interested in a specific game you know a place has, call or stop by and see if they'd be willing to part with it. even just letting them know you're interested and building a repoire helps. that way, even if they may not want to get rid of it now, they'll think about you when they do. being friendly and making contacts goes a long way...
thefreakhouse:
How about Vending companies? Same deal?
paigeoliver:
You would be wasting your time. Most of those games are indeed owned by operators, not the business owners. And people try to buy old games off location A LOT. Even if you could buy them they would be a bad deal. A game on a location is a lot more valuable to an operator than a game sitting in his warehouse. A game in the operators warehouse makes him no money, a game on location makes at least SOME money, and will likely have a $100 tax stamp on the sucker to boot. If the operator sold you that game and pulled another one out of his warehouse then he would have to buy another tax stamp ($100) and make a special trip out to his location to replace the game.
As for games actually owned by the business owner (which is rare, amusement equipment on location needs maintenance too often for unskilled business owners to keep the running), that are broken down you can likely forget those too. The business owner will either have a really unrealistic idea of the value of the thing (likely remembering what he paid for it), or won't want to sell it.
If you want to get games off operators then try and buy out of their warehouses. But businesses are no longer the arcade gold mine they used to be. Today the majority of arcade games are in private collectors hands and no longer owned by businesses.
armax:
freakhouse, don't be discouraged by some of the talk here. It won't hurt to actually call or visit the places and ask (do a search...plenty of people here have done what you did and came out with a killing in arcade games). you'd be surprised how one man's junk ends up being another man's treasure.
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