Random Thoughts Thread

[Ack]

So I'm in Marietta, GA for some training. Can any of your Atlanta boys (fastbilly, Ack) recommend some worthwhile video game shops and arcades?

Nothing anywhere near Marietta. Like Ack said there is one in Newnan. And there is one in Kennesaw. Both are atleast an hour from downtown Marietta.

Sadly Atlantas Retrogaming scene has died over the past few years. Playntrade moved in and made it hopping for a bit, but then it died off as they started closing.

I was unaware of the Kennesaw store. What is that one?

And Atlanta's retrogaming scene went south with the economy a few years back.

[prfsnl_gmr]

And Atlanta's retrogaming scene went south with the economy a few years back.

Charlotte's did the same thing a few years ago, and all of the Play 'n Trade locations are out of business. Recently, however, there has been a resurgence in "mom-and-pop" retro gaming stores in my area. Due - I suspect - to high rents in the City of Charlotte, most of these stores are located in the greater Charotte metropolitan area (i.e., Gastonia, Cornelius, Rock Hill, etc.), but the result is still seven or eight retro video gaming stores within 30 minutes to 1 hour of downtown Charlotte.

Since it is so much larger, I am surprised that Atlanta has not seen a similar resurgence, but the higher real estate prices in that area might make operating a retro gaming store unprofitable.

[fastbilly1]

So I'm in Marietta, GA for some training. Can any of your Atlanta boys (fastbilly, Ack) recommend some worthwhile video game shops and arcades?

Nothing anywhere near Marietta. Like Ack said there is one in Newnan. And there is one in Kennesaw. Both are atleast an hour from downtown Marietta.

Sadly Atlantas Retrogaming scene has died over the past few years. Playntrade moved in and made it hopping for a bit, but then it died off as they started closing.

I was unaware of the Kennesaw store. What is that one?

And Atlanta's retrogaming scene went south with the economy a few years back.

CC Gaming. But now that I think about it, it might be online only now.

Since it is so much larger, I am surprised that Atlanta has not seen a similar resurgence, but the higher real estate prices in that area might make operating a retro gaming store unprofitable.

Bingo. Storefront space is stupidly high still, though it is believed that it may lower next year.

[prfsnl_gmr]

Since it is so much larger, I am surprised that Atlanta has not seen a similar resurgence, but the higher real estate prices in that area might make operating a retro gaming store unprofitable.

Bingo. Storefront space is stupidly high still, though it is believed that it may lower next year.

I suspected as much. In my experience - and perhaps contrary to expectations - large cities are really bad for hunting old video games. There are too many people looking for them, and dedicated retro gaming stores cannot survive the high rents. I tend to fare a lot better in mid-sized cities like Charlotte, Kansas City, etc. where: (1) the population gurantees a supply of games; and (2) the rents are low enough for retro gaming stores to survive.

(I am surprised that Atlanta maintained high commerical rents through the recession, however. Based on what I know of the residential real estate market in suburban Atlanta - which, unfortunately, is quite a bit - I would have suspected them to have dropped precipitously.)

[BoringSupreez]

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[RyaNtheSlayA]

I found tons of good stuff in Columbia back when I was collecting and visited my grandparents more often (they also have neat auction houses there).

[oxymoron]

I never knew that Steve Jobs worked at Atari.

[Ack]

I never knew that Steve Jobs worked at Atari.

Yes. I would recommend Steve Kent's book The Ultimate History of Video Games for more about Jobs' early career at Atari.

[Erik_Twice]

I knew that sex-negative stances taken by the British goverment were not uncommon but I didn't know BDSM was banned by law.

Brits seem to have a certain amount of distrust of their goverment I don't really know much about but I know there's something to it beyond "evil big goverment".

[alienjesus]

My PSP is broken again. Yet again I've never found a single piece of Sony hardware that hasnt crapped out on me.


At least this time it's just the analogue nub - it SHOULD be a quick and easy fix.