I will be the first to admit that I was feeling very down and out during the month of December. There were a lot of contributing factors and I was even feeling as though I had fallen almost into a state of depression. 2014 seemed like such a good year for Super Arcade and in about 3 months time, things just started to spiral out of control. I obviously take full responsibility for everything that has happened and have learned from all these mistakes. The roller coaster ride has been insane to say the least, and life has had many ups and downs during this time. Before I launched our kickstarter campaign towards the middle of the year I was at a point where I felt like I had done all I could to pay the community back for all the great times it has brought to my life. I was drained physically, mentally, and financially. Now people seem to think that I ran this fundraiser for selfish reasons and did it for my own personal interests and gain. Funny thing is, after the kickstarter was a success, I wound up putting even more of my own personal money into the business in attempts to make things that much better for our patrons. I have spent countless hours trying to clarify many things and going on various forums to reply to just about every single comment or questions that was brought forth. I already know its an endless battle to try to satisfy those that feel that they should know everything even though they bring absolutely nothing to the table. Yet I still feel like by answering their questions I am probably answering questions that many people would like to know, so the effort is not wasted. I am also not your typical business owner and constantly get flamed for being myself, but hey, that's okay because I am doing what I love and doing it my way. I am accessible to everyone at almost anytime and I have never backed down from any claims or accusations. This is something that I am very proud of, and although it might be the path to my eventual downfall I did not put up a front or "sell-out" just to appease my peers and community. I wish I could say the same for many people who are the so-called leaders at this time.....
Regardless, let's get into the subject that most of you are here for: Our new location! We are still going through the normal stages of applying for a "minor use permit" which is required to run this type of business in the city. The standard wait time ranges from 4 to 6 weeks for this permit and basically is the only thing left to complete so we can get started. I have already chosen a location and without revealing too much, this place is guaranteed to impress. Lemme rephrase that, this place is guaranteed to impress our customers. Just as anything else, there will always be people that talk a bunch of nonsense or try to stir the pot negatively no matter what the situation. It's so bad to the point that people who aren't even local are complaining that it is too far from here, or too far from there, when the reality is that the City of Azusa neighbors the City of Walnut and the new location is literally less than 8 miles from our previous one. In my last blogpost I stated my requested requirements and people thought I was crazy. Now that I was in the driver's seat and able to negotiate what I wanted, I felt like there was a ton of leeway and it's not like people are looking to open new businesses everyday during this economic crisis. My requests were for a venue with at least 3,000 square feet, 40-50 parking spots, allows us to stay open late hours, and also a cheaper lease. Well guess what to you all naysayers? I won't say exactly how big the place is, but its larger than the old location, and when i say larger I don't mean like 100-200 feet larger...... I MEAN ITS FRIGGIN HUGE! And for the parking, lets just say this place has more than adequate parking to host a tournament the size of EVO! And for the ability to stay open late? There are 24 hour restaurants and businesses already at this location so this is definitely not a problem! And for the rent........ I let it publicly be known that we were paying over $6,000 a month for the old lease. With the current negotiations and a bit of luck, I will have a new lease that is under $5,000 a month for a location I feel is better suited for everyone. Sometimes things don't go well, and many times things just don't go as planned. This was obviously the case when I couldn't stay at our original location but with a ton of effort and dedication, I truly feel the new location will bring many more endless hours of enjoyment and competition for community and will satisfy everyone's appetite when they continue to look for the experience that Super Arcade brought to the scene.
The bottom line here is this. Mistakes were made, I have learned from them, and in past 2 months I was able to take a step back and think about things from a whole different perspective. I was also able to get a grip on my personal life and enjoy the company of my family and friends. But this is also the time I realized that Super Arcade was not just a part of my life, it had become much more than that. I felt as though I was in a position to provide and help a community grow, and I was given the trust and support by this community to do something bigger than you, or me, or anyone one person. I was given this opportunity to help people do what they enjoy, and offer people a playground during a time where arcade's are basically non-existent. And as dumb as it may sound, I could be a hero and continue to enjoy the many things that a community like the FGC and arcade life can bring to people, and all this generates the motivation needed to drive me to work hard for my friends, my family, and my community. I promise to dedicate myself to the great people who built and continue to support this community, and with all my efforts I can only hope that people will be as enthusiastic and find enjoyment from something that I truly have dedicated this part of my life to. Thank you all for reading and stay tuned for more updates and possible some pictures in the next post!
