Posted on August 14, 2024
MOAR NEWS! MOAR GAEMS!
Greetings and salutations ye followers of the Frank, we’re back with another update! This week has been crazy, so let’s get right into it!
1: The Games
Frank picked up FIVE new games in just the last week!
Stern Meteor
Would you care for some wine with your Cheesy Kirk Rips?
BALLY DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS
Nat 20 Charisma check!
WILLIAMS WHIRLWIND
Love that big red button!
GOTTLIEB HUMPTY DUMPTY
The first game with electro-mechanical flippers!
ATARI ASTEROIDS
This is the second time Frank’s had Asteroids. His doctor gave him a cream the first time and they cleared right up!
2: THE BUSINESS
LOCATION:
We met with the landlord yesterday and he’s pretty excited about the whole thing! He sent our lawyer the lease, our lawyer made some changes and sent it back to his lawyer who is reviewing it. I anticipate this happening somewhere between one and ten million more times before we sign it, but it’s progress!
GAME LOAN PROGRAM:
We’ve got the data! The data engineer we hired came through and we now have a comprehensive list of every pinball machine made to date and their estimated values. We’ve used these values to build out the point system we are using for games loans. We’ll be posting the list on a new section of the website soon, so keep your eyes peeled! We’ve also included a few snippets from the list in this month’s newsletter, so if you want to see that kind of info, head over to the contact page and sign up!
NEWSLETTER:
So we sent out our first newsletter last month and it was a huge hit! We got a load of positive feedback and a bunch of new folks signed up. If you want the behind the scenes info, more pictures, more details, more Frank, then you should sign up! Last week we showed off the floorplan map of the arcade! This week we’re showing off more details about our trip to Kentucky to pick up Humpty Dumpty and progress on our game restorations. Check it out over at the contact page!
3: CONCLUSION
Are you still reading this? Holy crap dude, that’s some dedication. Go play some games or something, there’s nothing to see here! But heck, if you are still hanging around, make sure to also follow us on the social media sites. We’ve got an Instagram and Facebook account, every bit helps!
Posted on July 31, 2024
HURRICANE FRANK MAKES LANDFALL
There’s been A LOT of activity going on with Frank, that’s why there hasn’t been a lot of activity on the website. Let’s get this thing up to date!
1: The Games
Frank’s been adding games like crazy and hasn’t even started in on the game loan program. Frank’s most recent pickups have been…
DATA EAST ROYAL RUMBLE
OHH YEAAH BORTHER!!!
STERN BERZERK
Yep, that’s an original Berzerk joystick. Also yep, it’s huge and hard to move!
SEGA/GREMLIN FROGGER
Not shown: New neckboard, new back door, new bezel, bright green molding, new side art, and a bunch of other stuff. This is gonna be a brand-new game!
CHALLENGER
It’s like a “Booze Barometer” but bigger! It lights up red and lets out a terrible BUZZZ when you lose!
SONY TRINITRON WOODGRAIN CONSOLE TV
If you are going to have a classic console lounge, you are going to need a classic console TV! This 27″ behemoth gets bonus points for having the original manual and remote, plus that sweet sweet woodgrain.
2: EVENTS
Frank was kind enough to sponsor the HOT GOBLIN SUMMER tournament at the Glenside Machine Shop on 7/19. Frank threw in an extra $100 clams to the tournament prize pool! 41 total players came out to compete for fun and profit! Congrats to the winners!
1st: Austin Snyder, 2nd: Derek Haines, 3rd: Andrew Oreskovich, 4th: Robbie “The Pin Reaper” Orsino
3: THE BUSINESS
Hoo boy, there’s a lot going on here. We’ll go over it briefly for those who are actually interested.
LOCATION:
We’ve signed a “letter of intent” with the landlord. This is close to the last step before signing the lease. We’ve hired a lawyer who specializes in this kind of stuff to help us iron out the details. So far we’ve worked out a great deal that everyone is happy with.
The location itself is pretty great. It’s about 3600 square feet. We’re planning to have 30-35 pins, 10-15 vids, 5 or so “novelty” games, and a classic console lounge featuring systems like the NES, Sega Genesis, SNES, etc. We also have enough space for a large dedicated workshop and a large gathering space (in a separate room!) for parties and other special events. We’ll share a floorplan soon!
We also have a contractor on-board who is ready to start work as soon as the lease is signed.
GAME LOAN PROGRAM:
We’ve had a lot of folks interested in loaning us games to help us get started. If you aren’t in-the-know, you can check the current details out by clicking here. We’ve hired a data specialist to build us a database that will let us accurately assign point values to games. We’re also working with a contract lawyer to help us write up contracts that we can use with anyone participating in the program.
On a side note, “Game Loan Program” sounds dumb. If you can think of a better name, let us know!
INVESTMENT:
Similar to the game loans, we’ve had a lot if interest in investment. We’ve teamed up with a business advisor and a lawyer who are helping us work out the numbers and come up with a contract. If you’ve already expressed interest in investment, we’ll be contacting you shortly. If you haven’t reached out to us yet, but are interested, feel free to contact us via the contact page or email us directly at franksgameorama@gmail.com.
WHAT IS FRANK DOING RIGHT NOW?:
Currently we’re putting the final bits of data together for our expected startup costs and our monthly costs. We’re using this data to determine the amount of capital we’ll need to raise to get started. We’ve got a nice chunk-o-change already set aside for Frank’s, but we know we’ll need more.
We’re also working on setting up a crowdfunding campaign for Frank’s. The intention of the crowdfunding campaign is to give folks who want to invest smaller sums of money a place to do so and to get some kind of swag in return. We’re thinking of doing things like stickers, magnets, and buttons for donors on the low-end, shirts and hats in the middle, and we’re toying with offering a lifetime membership on the *very* high end.
4: CONCLUSION
Phew, that was a lot of stuff! It’s very busy, kind of stressful, and kind of terrifying but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t fun, because it’s a TON of fun. We get to meet lots of cool people when we buy games and travel all over the place. It’s fun restoring games and bringing them back to their former glory. If you are interested in getting more regular updates and photos, follow us on Facebook or Instagram. If you want to get more of the nitty gritty details, sign up for our mailing list! It’s like, “Franks Insider Connected Prime +” or something. Thanks for reading!
Posted on June 26, 2024
Hot Gobs of Goblins!
The Ball Goblins are throwing a tournament at the Glenside Machine Shop on July 19! Frank has generously added ONE HUNDRED BUX to the prize pool! Check BallGoblins.com for more details!
Posted on June 20, 2024
“Frank You Very Much” and Progress Report
In other Frank news, we’re touring the space with an electrician this weekend to figure out power solutions and figure out costs. Wish us luck!
Posted on June 4, 2024
Mega Weekend Success!
Thank you everyone who came out this weekend for Machine Shop Madness!
We don’t know exact numbers, but we’re guessing we had around 70 folks come out Friday to cookout and party with us. We had a ton of fun and played Skate or Die so much that we ended up cooking the right flipper coil! (Sorry Brad!)
We went through almost a hundred hot dogs, a similar number of drinks and about 50 freezer pops. Things went pretty late, but We’re happy to report that everyone made it home safe and sound.
The tournament on Saturday went great with a total of 38 players! We played six rounds of group match-play and 3 rounds of finals. Results were submitted to the IFPA today, so you should see them reflected on your stats soon.
Our top 4 winners were:
1: Stephen Le
2: Cliff Albert
3: Scott Davis
4: Tony Lastowka
We’ve already got our next event in the planning stages so keep your eyes and ears on our social media and sign up for our mailing list on the contact page!
Posted on May 26, 2024
A Brave New Post for a Brave New World!
Hello dear reader!
This is Matt speaking! You might be wondering, “How is he talking to me when I can’t see him?”
Well friend, I am using a miracle of modern technology, a series of tubes called “The Internet.” You may have heard of it under some of it’s more common names such as “the world wide web”, “cyberspace”, or “the information super-highway.”
Many people think this whole internet thing is just a fad, but we think it’s here to stay so we’ve decided to carve out a little space for ourselves here on the ‘net.
If you had visited our site a few days ago, you would have seen a static front page. Well, we’ve done away with that in favor of a blog-style front page. If you don’t know what a blog is, you better get with the times! Try a search for “blog” on yahoo, or Lycos to find out more. There’s a new one out there called google that I hear is getting pretty popular.
Anyway, if you’ve reached this page, you might have a few questions about Frank’s Super Game-O-Rama. I’ll try to give a brief summary here, but be sure to check out our FAQ page for greater info. If you are interested in helping with the Frank’s project, check out the How Can I Help? page. If you have any questions, you can reach out via the Contact page.
With all that out of the way, lets get onto a brief summary of Frank’s Super Game-O-Rama.
Frank’s will be a brick-and-mortar arcade/museum located in Philadelphia, PA. The project is simple at it’s core, but the hurdles are still high. We are looking to build a free-play community-focused arcade that brings fun and education to serious gamers and casual players alike.
I know what you’re thinking, “Dude, that just sounds like stupid fluff-talk. That’s what every place says”, and you’d be right to think that.
I’m not exactly known for being great with words, so rather than try and fill the page with a bunch of corporate sounding “positive vibes” lingo, let me just say some of the stuff we plan to do.
- Open our doors to schools, STEM programs, Engineering programs, etc. for educational and fun field trips.
- Give control of community events to the community itself. Run your own tournaments, organize your own leagues, host your own clubs with our complete support!
- Start a Game Loan Program. You can loan your machines to the arcade for a cut of the profits.
- Provide history, gameplay tips and videos on every machine in the space.
- Have a dedicated space that can be used for education, birthday parties, or other functions.
- Have membership options with members-only events. (If we’re lucky, maybe members-only jackets too!)
I hope this first official post gives you a rough idea of what we’re trying to achieve. Visit us every once in a while to see updates, we’ll post them here as they happen. Be sure to check out our FAQ page and our How Can I Help? page for more info and don’t be afraid to contact us. Seriously, I bet at least 2/3 of the people reading this have my direct phone number. Don’t be afraid to call!
Posted on April 29, 2024
Original Homepage Content
Holy moly Frank is riding the information super-highway!
Welcome to the online home of Frank’s Super Game-O-Rama! Throughout this site you’ll be able to find all kinds of info, like what our hours are, where we’re located, what games we have, what events we’re throwing and what kind of special services we offer. You’ll also be able to find historical information on the games that have graced the arcade and links to other fun gaming sites!
I know what you’re asking. You’re asking, “But Matt, I don’t see any of that cool stuff you’re talking about! Are you pulling my leg?”
Of course I’m not pulling your leg! Frank’s is still in the planning stages. I guess you could say Frank is a kitten but he’s growing fast!
We’ve received a lot of positive feedback and inquiries about Frank’s. I mean *A LOT.* People want to know what the heck is going on. We’ll be answering those questions in a bunch of ways:
– You’ll soon find a blog page on this very website that has regular updates on our progress!
– You’ll Soon find a FAQ page here to answer the most common questions we’ve received so far!
– The event page is already up, but it will be updated with more events!
While you wait though, don’t forget to check out our first upcoming event and boy-howdy, is it a doozy! Frank’s has teamed up with the Glenside Machine Shop, the BGPO (Ball Goblins Pinball Organization), and MaxPower to bring you a two-day flip-fest on May 31 and June 1!
You can see the details on the Events page but I’ll also post the flyer here!
Page Under Construction, Bless This Mess!
Posted on April 29, 2024
This is a test post from Frank
I is Frank. Frank is cat. How cat type? Not easy.