Any thoughts on what we'll be up to with the first FORQ Fundraiser? Stay tuned for more info!
Friday, May 31, 2013
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!
Thursday, May 30, 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!
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.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
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.
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.
Friday, May 24, 2013
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.
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.
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