A Sad Day

On November 1st, Sage and Annie Spirtos, owners of Rusty Quarters Arcade, posted the following image on the official Rusty Quarters Facebook Page:

This upcoming Wednesday Rusty Quarters will close for good.  It is a very sad day, as this amazing Twin Cities hangout will be no more.  I hope nothing but the best for Sage and Annie.  They are an amazing couple, and this is just a bump in the road for the two of them as they continue to share amazing adventures together.  Still, this is a tough time for them, and my thoughts and prayers are with them.

The Friends of Rusty Quarters did their part in building the RQ community and also bolster the arcade's game cabinet line-up.  In the short time that FORQ was around we were able to raise enough funds to purchase two different games: Street Fighter II: Championship Edition and Final Fight.  They were hugely popular and for the time they were there they got a great deal of play.

Now the big question for FORQ: What now?  Those who have supported FORQ and Rusty Quarters loved helping out an amazing couple try to keep such an amazing business open, but FORQ was also a group of classic gaming enthusiasts who enjoyed playing arcade games in the way they were meant to be played: With friends and strangers in a public setting.  It is not a group who wants to hoard this great hobby to themselves, but one they want to share.

So that's why FORQ may be ending along with Rusty Quarters, but a new group will rise and move forward with the goal of someday bringing classic gaming back to the Twin Cities.  We will be collecting the two games that were purchased and keep them in a secure location until there is a plan in place to either support a different Twin Cities arcade (since there aren't any it would have to be a new arcade that has yet to be established) or if able to, FORQ members will help create their own arcade.  The latter would be an incredible project that would require a lot of volunteerism and support, but we will see if that is something that can be structured.  If it is, we shall pursue it.

If a time comes in which either supporting a new arcade or developing one ourselves isn't a feasible option, then the games will be sold and the money from the sales will go to charity.

I am going to greatly miss Rusty Quarters.  I loved the warm atmosphere, I loved being in the glow of the games, and I loved reliving moments of my childhood.  Most of all, I'm going to miss a place that I loved taking my daughter, Shaelyn, to.  I told her today about the arcade closing, and she began to cry.  She had a great time there, and I can't thank Sage and Annie enough for the memories they created for us both.

Thank you, Sage and Annie.  You created a place of magic and wonder.  Rusty Quarters will be greatly missed.

Ted C. Williams
Founder, Friends of Rusty Quarters

FORQ Brings FINAL FIGHT to Rusty Quarters!!!

Thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Rusty Quarters, the Capcom beat-em-up classic Final Fight is now part of the collection of arcade cabinets at Rusty Quarters!

Thanks to an amazing offer by Jeff in Apple Valley, MN, FORQ was able to purchase this cabinet for only $120!  With just some minor repairs needed to be made, Rusty Quarters patrons will soon be playing this 90's great!

Final Fight is the second cabinet that FORQ has been able to bring to Rusty Quarters (the first being Street Fighter II: Championship Edition).  These two cabinets is just the start of what the Friends of Rusty Quarters can do, and if you want to help bring more arcade classics to Rusty Quarters, CLICK HERE to find out how you can donate!

Can We "Do" It?!?!

We have been in contact with someone looking to sell their Mr. Do! cabinet, and the price is reasonable and unlike the last time the game is within driving distance of the Twin Cities!

The seller is looking to get $175 for this cabinet.  This is an amazing deal, and because of this it will certainly sell fast if we're not able to finalize the sale ASAP.

I have already talked with Annie and Sage (co-owners of Rusty Quarters) to see if they would rather purchase the game themselves (since it is one of the missing gems), and while they would LIKE to, because of low attendance in recent weeks (especially when it was incredibly hot and building management was unable to repair their A/C) they don't have the funds to purchase the game.

With this in mind, if Mr. Do! is going to come back to RQ, we need to do it!  Let's raise the money quickly and bring this classic back to our favorite retro arcade!  CLICK HERE to make your donation via PayPal.  Tell your friends about this drive too!  We don't have much time, so let's get to it!!!

Fundraiser #2: To Infinity and Beyond!

In August, Disney Interactive launched Disney Infinity, a game that is part LittleBigPlanet, part Skylanders, and part Super Smash Bros.  If you love Disney or creating you own gaming experience, this game is a must!

The game has been released on every major console and has been a smash hit.  Members of FORQ have also been heavily into this game as well, and their collection of figures and power discs (two collectible components of the game) have become quite large.  Sage, one of the co-owners of Rusty Quarters, is also into the game as well.  He even wrote a review of the game for the website Strange Kids Club (check out his review by clicking here).

One of the two mentioned collectibles with this game are called Power Discs, which are little plastic discs that give a character in the game special powers or features.  It also can be used to create different backgrounds for the level a player is creating.  They are a great addition to the game.  

Unfortunately the only way players can purchase Power Discs are in 2-packs that are sealed and covered, much like baseball card packs.  With each pack you purchase, you don't know what discs you'll end up with.  Because of this, players end up with duplicates, and that's what a lot of FORQ members who have been playing the game also have!

Many Infinity players, in order to complete their collections, either swap with friends or turn to ebay.  With this in mind, FORQ members have donated some of their extras to sell in order to raise money for arcade cabinets for the current and future Rusty Quarters arcade!

For a minimum $5 donation, you can purchase one of the Power Discs that have been donated to FORQ.  Here is a list of the Power Discs that are available as of 9/14/13 at 12:45pm:

* Kahn, the horse from Mulan

* Mickey's Car

* Sugar Rush Sky from Wreck-It Ralph

* Alice's Wonderland from Alice in Wonderland

* Marlin's Reef from Finding Nemo

* Rapunzel's Kingdom from Tangled

* Rapunzel's Birthday Sky from Tangled

* Pieces of Eight Power-Up from Pirates of the Caribbean

* Cinderella's Coach from Cinderella

If you wish to purchase a disc:

1) Email friendsofrustyquarters@gmail.com the Power Disc in which you would like to purchase.  Also indicate your mailing address (depending on the distance of the shipping extra shipping charges may apply).

2) A member of FORQ will confirm with you if the Power Disc is still available, and they will send you a PayPal link to allow you to complete the transaction.

3) Once FORQ has received confirmation from PayPal of your order, we will ship it to you!

With some potential cabinets we are looking at purchasing (but currently don't have the funds to do so), we certainly hope that this fundraiser will be a success!  Please spread the word of this fundraiser, especially to those who are enjoying Disney Infinity!!!

Mr. Do Update: Better Luck Next Time :(

Well, in a little over 24 hours after we made the push to try to get Mr. Do back into Rusty Quarters, it looks as though it has been bought.  Sadly, not by us.  We'll keep an eye out for another Mr. Do cabinet, and hopefully it will be more local and therefore easier to pick up and bring to the arcade.

There is actually another cabinet that is available in the Twin Cities (and for an INCREDIBLY cheap price) that may be a game to consider getting.  The game is Rush 'N' Attack, a Konami classic that was very big on the NES when the system launched in the mid 80's and has a great Cold War vibe.

While the game is not on the Top 5 List of games to get, it's still a pretty great game, especially for the price the seller is looking for ($100!).  As it has been mentioned before, however, the FORQ funds are tapped at the moment due to the purchase of Street Fighter II.

We have had a friendly dialogue going with the seller, and while we encourage the seller to make sure he can be successful in finding a buyer, we are on his short list, if we're able to raise the funds.

If you're able to donate, please do so by clicking here to access the PayPal link.  The more classic cabinets we can get into Rusty Quarters, the better!

Can we get Mr. Do to come back home to RQ?!?!?

Could this cabinet be coming to RQ?

We are in talks with possibly getting a Mr. Do cabinet (one of the five games we had on our missing gems list)!  There are two major hurdles that we are trying to clear:

(1) The cabinet is in Manitowc, WI, so we will need to figure out how to get the cabinet from the Cheese State to the Twin Cities.

(2) The seller is asking for $225, and after the recent purchase of Street Fighter II: Championship Edition, the FORQ account is currently tapped out.

We are trying to figure out how to transport the game from Point A to Point B, but the shipping aspect is a non-issue if we're not able to raise the funds to purchase the cabinet.

That's where we need your help!  We are going to to an emergency fundraising drive, with $225 as our goal to hit (although we may need a little more too depending on gas reimbursement for whoever would be picking up the game).  If you are able to donate, please CLICK HERE to go to the page that will take you to the Friends of Rusty Quarters PayPal account, and then make sure to tell your friends and family about this and have them support the efforts as well!

Let's make this dream of getting Mr. Do back at Rusty Quarters a reality!  Thank you in advance!!!

FORQ Brings Street Fighter II: Championship Edition to Rusty Quarters!!!!

Today was an incredibly exciting day for the Friends of Rusty Quarters.  FORQ made its first purchase and was able to pick up the most demanded game that Rusty Quarters did not yet have: Street Fighter II: Championship Edition!!!

Thanks to everyone who had donated to recent FORQ fundraising efforts, we were able to purchase the game and bring it to Rusty Quarters.  Before the business day was over, Sage was able to get all the hardware squared away and it has already seen it's fair share of action!

A huge thank you to Paul in St. Michael, MN, for being such an incredible guy and selling his SFII cabinet to FORQ.  Paul told me how much fun he and his friends have had with this cabinet over the years, and he is very thankful that his cabinet will be enjoyed by gamers young and old for years to come!

If you wish to donate to the Friends of Rusty Quarters so that we may continue to bring more gaming classics to everyone's favorite Twin Cities classic arcade, please do so by clicking here.

It's a start...

The "Build Lego Mario" Indiegogo campaign has come and gone, and while we didn't hit our lofty goal of $1,287 (which would of been a dollar donation for each brick needed to build Mario), it did allow us to take that very important first step.  A total of $210 was raised, and after PayPal and Indiegogo charges were taken out, $183.21 was added to the FORQ account.  With the $5.05 in the account already (to open the checking account prior to FORQ launching), there is currently $188.26 available for FORQ to help expand Rusty Quarters's game selection!

We will be using the Lego Mario project again to raise money for the fund in the near future (stay tuned!) as it would be great to present the completed project to Annie and Sage to show how many people support this great classic gaming museum.

Here's how much we were able to build of Mario with $210 in donations!

 

We will also be holding other forms of fundraisers in the upcoming months, so please check back to see what else FORQ will be up to!  You can also donate at anytime via PayPal (click here to do so right now!).

 

Now that we have funds available for us to use and to help out Rusty Quarters, the big question looming over FORQ is whether to save up the funds until we can help purchase one of the Top 5 Missing Gems or to use them to purchase other great games that aren't on that list but we could purchase for a cheaper price.  What are your thoughts?  Let us know in the comments section below on whether we should Save or Spend!

 

Thank you again to everyone who donated!  We appreciate your generosity and your desire to see Rusty Quarters improve and grow!

Games we hope to see when Rusty Quarters Relocates (aka: Games that are TOO BIG to be at RQ right now)

As awesome as Rusty Quarters with its wonderful selection of classic arcade cabinets, due to the size of the retail space RQ is located at, there are some games that we just won't see until their lease is up and they relocate.  Here's a list of games we hope to see in the new location (and with your help we hope to someday be able to guy to have reside at our favorite Twin Cities gaming hangout!):

X-Men 6 Player Cabinet

Yes, there are 4-player versions of this game available, but in order to get the true X-Men experience you need to play it on the 6-Player version.  With it's wide display and control panel to allow six gamers to comfortably play side-by-side, X-Men is one of the largest beat-em-up cabinets ever developed.  As much fun as it would be to hear Cyclops roar with his Special Move, until Rusty Quarters moves this game will have to wait.

Skee-Ball

An amazing non-video arcade classic, Skee-Ball is a great game to test one's skill and accuracy.  As fun of a game as it (and also a beautiful looking game), the playfield is just too long to fit at the current RQ location.

Pole Position Sit-Down Cabinet

Yes, Rusty Quarters does have a sit-down driving game already with Crusin' USA, but the grandfather of driving game's cabinet is just too bulky to fit anywhere until Annie and Sage select a new home for the arcade.

Time Crisis II

While there have been four installments in the Time Crisis series (and I wouldn't be shocked if a fifth were in the works), the second was the most popular.  This two-player rail shooter also features a pedal that allows the player to duck and cover to avoid enemy fire.  With two screens and the extra length for the pedal, there doesn't seem to be a good place to put TCII in RQ at the moment.

Top 5 Missing Gems at Rusty Quarters

Based on the feedback that the owners of Rusty Quarters have collected throughout the years, here are the Top 5 Missing Classic Arcade Gems that we at FORQ hope to someday help bring to our favorite Twin Cities arcade:

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

In 1989, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were television, movie, and action figure stars.  While Ultra Games created a commercially successful home console game, it wasn't until Konami released this amazing 4-player co-op game that finally allowed gamers to become the Heroes in a Half Shell.  Nearly 25 years later, gamers still love this classic beat-em-up!

4. Mortal Kombat 3

To know how to finish an opponent with a Fatality was to be a God in the arcade.  Mortal Kombat 3 brought fierce and brutal competition between gamers of all ages.

3. Mr. Do

Mr. Do actually used to reside at Rusty Quarters, but because of some issues with the original cabinet they had to let it go.  RQ gamers have been clamoring for it ever since, and it is a cabinet that both Annie and Sage greatly regret having to part with.

2. The Simpsons

Ay caramba!  Who would've thought that a 4-player beat-em-up based on an animated sitcom would be as wildly popular as it was (and still is)!

1. Street Fighter II: Championship Edition

Street Fighter II brought gamers back into the arcades in droves in the early 90's, pitting player vs. player in this fighting classic.  While two fighters currently reside at Rusty Quarters (X-Men: Children of the Atom and Tekken 4), SF II is the one that gamers want the most.

FORQ Fundraiser #1: Build Lego Mario!

The Friends of Rusty Quarters are embarking on their first fundraising effort to help the expansion of Rusty Quarters and its game selection by constructing the world’s most famous plumber, brick by brick! 

We are looking for classic gaming enthusiasts and small business supporters to sponsor one (or more) of the 1,287 Lego bricks it will take to create a 3-foot 2D representation of Mario.  The money raised isn’t just for the cost of building Mario, however.  It more importantly going to be used to help purchase additional cabinets and other equipment needed for Rusty Quarters (both in the current location and also in their future location when their lease is up in late 2014) to continue to be the most amazing classic arcade in the Twin Cities!

A $1 donation will sponsor a brick, and we are hoping that by the end of this campaign, after PayPal and Indiegogo expenses are accounted for we are hoping to not only present a really fun art piece to the owners of Rusty Quarters to hang on their walls, but $1,000 set aside to purchase arcade cabinets that we can all enjoy.  Would you like to see The Simpsons Arcade, Mortal Kombat, or Mr. Do come to Rusty Quarters?  In donating to this campaign, we hope to make that a reality!

To donate, please visit http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/build-lego-mario-and-help-support-rusty-quarters-arcade/

Hint #2 of the First FORQ Fundraiser

Any thoughts on what we'll be up to with the first FORQ Fundraiser? Stay tuned for more info!

A Walk-Through of Rusty Quarters (May 31, 2013)

FORQ Fundraiser #1, Coming Soon!

As posted earlier, the Friends of Rusty Quarters now has a PayPal account to allow patrons and fans of Rusty Quarters to help out in the expansion of the best arcade a classic gaming fan could ever ask for.  Now that we have that in place we are now working on the first fundraising effort.  It will be an Indiegogo fundraising campaign with a $1K+ fundraising goal.  The way we plan on raising the money should be a lot of fun, and we'll be posting details soon about it very soon!  Here's a sneak preview image to give you a hint of what the fundraiser will be all about:

Obviously, it's Mario, but can you guess what we'll be doing with him to raise money?  Stay tuned!

Friends of Rusty Quarters: Now Accepting Donations!

We have now taken the first steps in allowing those who love Rusty Quarters help support the expansion and growth of the best classic arcade in the Twin Cities!  If you wish to donate, please click the Donate button below:

If you have questions about Friends of Rusty Quarters and how donations will be used, please check out the FORQ Q&A page.

Q&A about the Friends of Rusty Quarters

Have some questions about what Friends of Rusty Quarters is all about?  Hopefully the Q&A below will help!

Question: Was this group created by Annie and Sage Spirtos, the owners of Rusty Quarters?
Answer: No.

Question: How much ownership stake in Rusty Quarters do the founding members of FORQ have?
Answer: None.  It was started by loyal patrons of Rusty Quarters.

Question: Will any members of FORQ profit from their participation in the group?
Answer: No.  The only thing FORQ members have to gain is making sure their favorite arcade stays open and expand.

Question: Once a game cabinet or any other equipment is purchased with funds raised by FORQ, will that item immediately become property of Rusty Quarters?
Answer: No.  Unless Rusty Quarters ownership wished to purchase the items purchased with FORQ funds from the group (which then that money would go back into the FORQ fund to help purchase other games or items), they will remain property of FORQ.

Question: Where will the money from the game cabinets or any other items purchased go to?
Answer: Profits made from games or any other items will go to Rusty Quarters.

Question: Worst case scenario: If Rusty Quarters at some point were forced to close their doors for good, what would happen to all of the items purchased by FORQ?
Answer: Any game cabinet or equipment not purchased by Rusty Quarters ownership would remain the property of the FORQ group.  If, God forbid, Rusty Quarters were to close, all games still under FORQ ownership would go back to the group.  At that time it would be determined whether these games would go to help support another local arcade, see if an arcade can be created by supporters of the group in its place or be sold and let the profits from the sales be used to help benefit charitable causes.

Question: Is the Friends of Rusty Quarters group a nonprofit?
Answer: No.

Question: Are any donations I make tax deductible?
Answer: No.

Question: Do the Friends of Rusty Quarters have any voting power in changes or able to make business decisions for Rusty Quarters?
Answer: No.  FORQ is a group to help Rusty Quarters grow and flourish, and with that it is a group to help support the vision of Annie and Sage Spirtos.  Fortuately for Rusty Quarters fans, Annie and Sage spend a great deal of time listening to their customers, and the direction that they take Rusty Quarters is greatly based on what their customers demand.

VERY Cynical Question: If so many people enjoy Rusty Quarters, why does Rusty Quarters have a group like this to help them out?
Answer: Running a classic arcade has a lot of expenses built into it, especially to keep their current machines in as great of condition as they are at Rusty Quarters.  Because of the current location, extra funds to  buy new cabinets and what it will take to make the expanded Rusty Quarters a true success will be very difficult.   The arcade is also owned by an amazing couple, and not a mega corporation with stock holders and disposable income.  Members of FORQ want to be able to enjoy the current location and help make sure that the future location is as amazing as it possibly can be.

Rusty Quarters is Awesome! Let's Help Make it Even More Awesome-er!!!

If you're over the age of 25 and consider yourself a gamer, chances are there is a place in your heart for classic arcades.  The loud beeps, the bright lights, and the joy that comes from games like Donkey Kong, Galaga or Ms. Pac-Man.  During the 80's arcade games were everywhere, and every shopping center or mall had an arcade filled with gamers trying to beat their high scores.  Once home consoles were able to have the same power as what was at the arcades, however, the crowds vanished and arcades closed their doors.

The games that we grew up with are now considered "retro" and "classic," and whether its original gamers falling back in love arcade games or new gamers who are discovering the joys that a couple of quarters can buy you.  While these games are available on every platform imaginable, the interest to play them the way they used to be played is on the rise.  People don't want to just play Dig Dug on their iPads, they want to play a dedicated cabinet with their friends.  Playing Tron at home on an Xbox just doesn't have the same type of flare as playing it at an arcade with the glowing blue joystick, elbow-to-elbow with other game enthusiasts.

Even with the sudden rise of interest in classic gaming and arcades, there are still very few public arcades.  Many arcades are currently private collections to cabinet collectors and are only available to that individuals group of friends.  There have been a few brave entrepreneurs throughout the United States that have taken the leap into opening up classic arcades, and the Twin Cities is fortunate enough to have two such people.  In 2011 Annie and Sage Spirtos opened Rusty Quarters, a classic arcade with over two dozen original dedicated arcade cabinets and pinball machines.  

The Twin Cities has embraced this amazing local hangout in its salute to yesteryear.  It has been written about in local and national publications, featured in local news stories, and has even housed two weddings!  The magic that has been created at Rusty Quarters has been felt by young and old, game enthusiasts and novices alike.

Even with its high praise and a loyal consumer fan base, Rusty Quarters has felt some bumps in the road.  On two separate occasions the Spritos have had to go to the public with fundraising campaigns to help keep the doors open.  Slow traffic periods during miserable Minnesota winters took a huge financial hit, and due to a very restrictive lease there are few business model options for them to take (example: the property doesn't allow them to include a restaurant or a bar to help create additional revenue).

The Spirtos have discovered the challenges of running a classic arcade in the modern era and know that the current business model they are under will not allow the arcade to survive in the long term.  With their lease set to expire in November 2014, they are counting down the days until they can relocate into another Twin Cities location with more space, less rent and overhead costs, and most importantly more business opportunities.  With just a little over 17 months remaining on the lease, this window of time can feel like an eternity but also very limiting.  While they will be working hard to keep gamers coming in the door for the next year and a half, the expansion costs are also very daunting.  While the current Rusty Quarters is filled nearly to the max with arcade cabinets, a new space will allow (and almost demand) more games to fill it up. If the new Rusty Quarters also plans to have food or drink services, there is a lot of equipment that will be needed to be purchased before that is possible.

It is this desire for Rusty Quarters to expand and to build its success that the group "Friends of Rusty Quarters" has been created.  FORQ consists of classic gaming enthusiasts and loyal patrons of Rusty Quarters that want to keep the doors of their favorite local arcade open and help the future expansion.  Through various fundraising efforts, FORQ will purchase additional cabinets and other necessities so that the burden of those expenses can be taken off of the Spirtos so that they can maintain the current Rusty Quarters location all the way up to when their lease ends and they can cut the ribbon to their new location.

More details about FORQ will be coming soon, but if you have any questions or interest please feel free to email the group at friendsofrustyquarters@gmail.com.