Good Time Emporium Is Actually Closing This Time

There had been rumors for years but nothing ever seemed to come of it... until now.

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It is with regret that we must issue this notice regarding the closure of Good Time Emporium. Our building will soon be replaced with a furniture store. Although we had anticipated remaining in business for several more months, our landlord, Federal Realty Investment Trust, has just informed us that we need to vacate the building by June 30, 2008.

Management and staff of Good Time Emporium would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for your patronage over the past seventeen years. It has been our pleasure to serve the people of Somerville and surrounding communities. And, we are proud to have been able to support numerous groups who have benefited from our presence in the city.

To the many customers who hold unused redemption tickets and tokens, we urge you to visit our facility to redeem them as soon as possible.

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No, it's not what it used to be, and that's keeping in mind that the place wasn't even the greatest when I showed up in the city. It had a bunch of good fighting games and the Bemani games weren't falling apart like they are now, at least. Plenty of good times were had, however! It's still a lot of fun to roll up, get trashed and ride go-karts or play laser tag. No more After Burner Climax, no more Derby Owners Club. No more lighting cigarettes with fake money we won with our tickets.

I'll probably be organizing one last trip to become incomprehensibly drunk, cause general mayhem... and to finish up my Derby Owners Club horses. :cry:

It's official: the world is becoming boring.

I hate hearing about a major arcade closing. Sadly, in this day and age, anything above a hallway with Time Crisis 2 and The Fast and the Furious is considered a major arcade, so it happens often. It's not just arcades, though.

Notice, it's being replaced with a furniture store. That's part of the trend. Everything awesome is closed and replaced with something ridiculously boring. Check out my area, for example. My childhood favorite Pizza Hut? Closed without reason, demoed, and turned into a bank. Toys 'R Us? Now a DSW Shoes OH MAN I LOVE SHOES. Spare plot of land? Bank. Other spare plot of land? Bank. Record (fine, CD) stores are gone and everything either sells me mass-produced clothes, shitty furniture, or wants to hold my money until I need it later.

The world is no fun anymore. We here on Long Island feel your pain, Grave. We might have two good arcades around and one is only open certain hours four days a week, while the other has mall hours out in Bumblefuck. I'm sure Dave & Busters will sadly eat them soon, anyway...

Maybe after I get done crying I can convince someone to drive me to Tokyo Game Action so I can fchan it up over there. NOT THAT THEY HAVE DERBY OWNERS CLUB. I wonder if the MIT arcade is still decent? Or still around?

At least I can play Strikers 1945 II at the movie theater... just so long as I don't plan on moving down while on the 1P side. Sigh.

I don't know much about the financial side of things, but if Good Time wasn't making serious bank, it's the fault of the management. The place is open all the damn time and almost always packed, even if it does get shittier and shittier as time goes by. I think issues with the town of Somerville were involved? This stuff's been flying around for years but I didn't know it was really closing (and so soon!) until Friday. God knows we need that Ikea NOW!

funny enough my local arcade also became a furniture store

... the one in the mall on the other side of town became a travel agency

I think its cause the old people want all them yunguns to keep their rock an roll hibbyty hop music with the sagin pants off their front lawn.

Groups of roving young people are a pain to deal with and when you take away their fun, they disappear apparently.

But lets get it straight. With online gaming getting bigger and more developed, are we really suprised by this? In ten years we will all be living in a box while all we want is delivered by tubes and stuff.

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

The world is no fun anymore. We here on Long Island feel your pain, Grave. We might have two good arcades around and one is only open certain hours four days a week, while the other has mall hours out in Bumblefuck. I'm sure Dave & Busters will sadly eat them soon, anyway...

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Seriously. Northern NJ guys feel the pain too, we just lost Fun N Games after 25+ years. What gives? Even the ones that can survive financially are just losing their leases. Next they're going to tell Eight on the Break is closing.

D&Bs just isn't the same. I don't know, just doesn't feel as good as the other places do (did).

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Originally Posted by Gymkata

I think its cause the old people want all them yunguns to keep their rock an roll hibbyty hop music with the sagin pants off their front lawn.

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It's because people own 360's and don't go out to play games anymore.

If D&B got some decent shit besides fucking fake slots and four of the newest shitfests I'd be there a million times more, their pay and play combo is a good deal.

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

Notice, it's being replaced with a furniture store. That's part of the trend. Everything awesome is closed and replaced with something ridiculously boring. Check out my area, for example. My childhood favorite Pizza Hut? Closed without reason, demoed, and turned into a bank. Toys 'R Us? Now a DSW Shoes OH MAN I LOVE SHOES. Spare plot of land? Bank. Other spare plot of land? Bank. Record (fine, CD) stores are gone and everything either sells me mass-produced clothes, shitty furniture, or wants to hold my money until I need it later.

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QFT.

I went back to my old Neighborhood in Hollywood, FL two years ago, and it was like I arrived in Biff Tannen's 1985. The Hollywood Fashion Center, where I spent so much money at Bally's Aladdin's Castle and ate much pizza at the Orange Bowl, was boarded up and closed. Circus Playhouse (imagine Chuck E. Cheese's on steroids and with only arcade games) had become a bingo parlor, and Toys 'R Us is now a used car dealership. This was an awesome place to grow up, and the only thing left was the Circle K around the block from my old apartment - and it doesn't have arcade games anymore.

I wish I hadn't gone back. :(

Convenience stores need arcade games again.

I heard Ikea bought 'em. Shit, I never got a chance to go.

If Ikea put some arcade games in, I'd live there.

Yeah, I heard the same about IKEA replacing Good Time. I have not been there in a while but what Grave says is true, they have lost their touch over the years. It still sucks though that an outlet for entertainment is being removed. I'm actually shocked that it is happening at the end of the month though. A visit is definitely required.

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

My childhood favorite Pizza Hut?

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A) How do you have a favorite Pizza hut? They're all the same. B) They're all completely terrible, and if you live in the northeast where we have real pizza why would anyone eat there?

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

A) How do you have a favorite Pizza hut? They're all the same.

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Chao must have fond childhood memories of going to a certain Pizza Hut in his neighborhood. I know I'll never forget all the times I went to the Pizza Hut in Westbury after doing that silly Book-It promotion when I was younger...

Chao: "It's official: the world is becoming boring."

This.

Chao is right- the world IS getting boring. Everything is mainstream, everything is mass-market, everything is chain stores. When driving around nowadays you just know you'll never stumble across some interesting little store or whatever tucked away in some dark little nook that you never knew about. Everything is Best Buy and Super Stop and Shop and TGI Fridays now.

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

The world is no fun anymore. We here on Long Island feel your pain, Grave.

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I'll say. I miss the days when Sunrise Mall had 2 pretty good arcades. The weekly Marvel Super Heroes tourneys were a bright sport of my impressionable youth.

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Originally Posted by Galaxia

Chao must have fond childhood memories of going to a certain Pizza Hut in his neighborhood. I know I'll never forget all the times I went to the Pizza Hut in Westbury after doing that silly Book-It promotion when I was younger...

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They're pre-fab buildings. Just pretend they moved it.

I'm sorry, but shitty chain pizza places are the problem, not what's being erased from America. Be proud you live in an area where no one goes to Pizza Hut (I say assuming that Long Island is pretty much the same as NJ in that regard, since you are basically New Jersey with an accent and complete lack of highway infrastructure).

Shit! We had a mall growing up that had two arcades in it too! One of 'em had 6-player X-Men!

Man!

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Originally Posted by YellerDog

6-player X-Men!

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Fuck, that game was a major staple back in the day. I miss arcade beat-em-ups.

My friend did this awesome imitation of the noise Colossus used to make when he did his super-move. It was like this "GrrrrrrraaaaaAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" yell. It never got old.

Firing up the mod-box when I get home tonight for sure, damn.

I only wish there was a decent way to play Lucky & Wild at home. :cry:

Lucky and Wild rules.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

(I say assuming that Long Island is pretty much the same as NJ in that regard, since you are basically New Jersey with an accent and complete lack of highway infrastructure).

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Truth. However, NJ has slightly lower gas prices.

I'm shocked that people actually know about this place. I live about two minutes from Somerville. Decent place, too many thugs though.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

if you live in the northeast where we have real pizza why would anyone eat there?

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Colon cleansing.

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Originally Posted by Dolemite

Chao is right- the world IS getting boring. Everything is mainstream, everything is mass-market, everything is chain stores. When driving around nowadays you just know you'll never stumble across some interesting little store or whatever tucked away in some dark little nook that you never knew about. Everything is Best Buy and Super Stop and Shop and TGI Fridays now.

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This is so truth. When did everything have to be a chain? Even the smaller chains were nice but they either got obliterated or absorbed.

One facet of my youth was the mom & pop video rental store. It was great having a few of them around because they all had different selections of games to rent (depending on what distributor they used). Then Blockbuster came and wiped them all out with a vengenance.

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Nerds,

I'm way more awesome than those dark, smelly dens of child molestation you guys call arcades. So let's rock out, and when do you leave the house, try to pretend not to be a loser for a few hours.

Sincerely,

Xbox Live

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OMG I was there. Dave's right.

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Originally Posted by Dolemite

When driving around nowadays you just know you'll never stumble across some interesting little store or whatever tucked away in some dark little nook that you never knew about.

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Come to Baltimore. Not downtown.

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Originally Posted by portnoyd

One facet of my youth was the mom & pop video rental store. It was great having a few of them around because they all had different selections of games to rent (depending on what distributor they used). Then Blockbuster came and wiped them all out with a vengenance.

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I had one up the corner from me that managed to survive for a while based on porno rentals alone. But even that ended up not being enough.

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Originally Posted by Josh

Come to Baltimore.

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I was talking to Destin at the NYC get-together about maybe setting up another MD get-together. If it happens, I'd totally do it.

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

My childhood favorite Pizza Hut? Closed without reason, demoed, and turned into a bank. Toys 'R Us? Now a DSW Shoes OH MAN I LOVE SHOES.

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hahahahaha. i was taking you seriously until i read more closely. absolute little gem there.

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Originally Posted by YALLERDAWG

Shit! We had a mall growing up that had two arcades in it too! One of 'em had 6-player X-Men!

Man!

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Oh, wait, here we go. I forgot the biggest offender. The Nathan's in Levittown. MY Nathan's. 25¢ PIU, DDR 3rd Mix (SSR L-L-L-R-R-R-L-R), 6-player X-Mans, Point Blank 2, VF3, TONS of pinball, awful hot dogs... demoed and now a wine store or some shit. Hooray.

yeah, because i can't believe a fucking disgusting nathan's would close.

My favorite GT memory is the CvS2 tournament where they banned throwing.

Still, I'd like to visit one last time if possible. If they have to vacate by the 30th, do you think they'll be open this weekend?

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

Oh, wait, here we go. I forgot the biggest offender. The Nathan's in Levittown. MY Nathan's (insert endless list of games here) demoed and now a wine store or some shit. Hooray.

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You mean the one across from Tri-County? I think they turned it into another restaurant or something.

Boring chains are being replaced by other boring chains! What's the world coming to?

At least you don't live in the middle of the country where all they have is Walmart and McDonalds.

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

Oh, wait, here we go. I forgot the biggest offender. The Nathan's in Levittown. MY Nathan's. 25¢ PIU, DDR 3rd Mix (SSR L-L-L-R-R-R-L-R), 6-player X-Mans, Point Blank 2, VF3, TONS of pinball, awful hot dogs... demoed and now a wine store or some shit. Hooray.

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It's a beer joint hangout.

It should be a beer joint hangout arcade.

(*^*&%&^*

but did they have guinness????

You guys are talking about arcades with Marvel Super Heroes and X-Men like ancient history.

Back in my day *spits in a can* I used to walk, yes WALK, all the way to the South Shore Mall and down that long ass yellow and brown hallway to get to the arcade, where I dined on Asteroids, Space Invaders, and Tempest.

You young 'uns and your fancy fighting games!

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Originally Posted by A Robot Bit Me

Still, I'd like to visit one last time if possible. If they have to vacate by the 30th, do you think they'll be open this weekend?

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I'm gonna try to get there some night this week and finish up all my Derby Owners Club business if I still can. This is stressful. :(

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Originally Posted by dave is ok

Decent place, too many thugs though.

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Yeah, the atmosphere is not the best, but it never stopped me from having fun there.

why don't you try to buy the machine(s) you really like?

A friend already had, and he was told they would only sell to businesses, not individuals.

have your friend incorporate himself

All of the machines are likely covered with cigarette burns and blood, anyway. You don't want any of that.

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Originally Posted by burgundy

but did they have guinness????

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THEY WOULD IF I RAN THE PLACE, DAMMIT.

The arcades would be filled with 4-Slot MVSes, House of the Dead 2-4, random Street Fighters, Kings of Fighters, and Guilty Gears, DDR 3rd Mix, PIU Xceed 2, and a MAME arcade cabinet. Guiness, Smirnoff Vodka, Jack Daniel's, Bailey's, Vanilla Coke, and Raspberry Iced Tea would be ON TAP. I'd hire Biff to be the bouncer, as NOBODY would question the demands of a winged unicorn.

IT WOULD BE A FOUNTAIN OF MY DREAMS.

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Originally Posted by Melf

Asteroids, Space Invaders, and Tempest.

You young 'uns and your fancy fighting games!

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Tempest was fucking awesome. Vector Star Wars AND Empire Strikes Back as well.

My old Arcade in the Deptford Mall is still around. But its not the same, cause consoles killed the Arcade.

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Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

THEY WOULD IF I RAN THE PLACE, DAMMIT.

The arcades would be filled with 4-Slot MVSes, House of the Dead 2-4, random Street Fighters, Kings of Fighters, and Guilty Gears, DDR 3rd Mix, PIU Xceed 2, and a MAME arcade cabinet. Guiness, Smirnoff Vodka, Jack Daniel's, Bailey's, Vanilla Coke, and Raspberry Iced Tea would be ON TAP. I'd hire Biff to be the bouncer, as NOBODY would question the demands of a winged unicorn.

IT WOULD BE A FOUNTAIN OF MY DREAMS.

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They'd also have really good wings.

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Originally Posted by Grave

There had been rumors for years but nothing ever seemed to come of it... until now.



No, it's not what it used to be, and that's keeping in mind that the place wasn't even the greatest when I showed up in the city. It had a bunch of good fighting games and the Bemani games weren't falling apart like they are now, at least. Plenty of good times were had, however! It's still a lot of fun to roll up, get trashed and ride go-karts or play laser tag. No more After Burner Climax, no more Derby Owners Club. No more lighting cigarettes with fake money we won with our tickets.

I'll probably be organizing one last trip to become incomprehensibly drunk, cause general mayhem... and to finish up my Derby Owners Club horses. :cry:

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Y'know, I never really thought of this as an arcade.

I thought of this place more as a place to get stabbed multiple times if you were better at Street Fighter 2 and Soul Calibur 2 than other people.

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Originally Posted by Advocate

Tempest was fucking awesome. Vector Star Wars AND Empire Strikes Back as well.

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Have you or anyone you know ever actually seen an ESB cab? I've seen one in my life and it was at a classic gaming show.

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My old Arcade in the Deptford Mall is still around. But its not the same, cause consoles killed the Arcade.

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Recess? Typical mall-closet joint, it was never anything special, but they have done a good job of hanging in there longer than most.

Let's face it, after Exhilarama closed, it was all downhill. That place was fucking amazing and I miss it. You could really spend all day there.

The old CA game center down here became a police station.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

Have you or anyone you know ever actually seen an ESB cab? I've seen one in my life and it was at a classic gaming show.

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ESB was at Recess. I used to play it all the time. I also remember the Return of the Jedi one too. I sucked at that, but it wasn't vector ... if memory serves.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

Recess? Typical mall-closet joint, it was never anything special, but they have done a good job of hanging in there longer than most.

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That's all I was saying. Its around. Nothing special ... at all.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

Let's face it, after Exhilarama closed, it was all downhill. That place was fucking amazing and I miss it. You could really spend all day there.

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Truth. They had some awesome arcade machines. Dungeons and Dragons 1&2 come to mind.

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Originally Posted by Advocate

ESB was at Recess. I used to play it all the time. I also remember the Return of the Jedi one too. I sucked at that, but it wasn't vector ... if memory serves.

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Yeah, Jedi wasn't vector. Nothing like the others, either. ESB cabs are notoriously rare since they were a somewhat unpopular upgrade kit to the original.

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Truth. They had some awesome arcade machines. Dungeons and Dragons 1&2 come to mind.

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They had really just about everything current from that time. Always got all the new shit in right away. All those Capcom beat 'em ups (They had AvP also)... all the old Sega stuff... I miss that place.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

I miss that place.

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Me too. Remember they tried to reopen the place. So, moved it inside to the Boscov's side and that's when it closed for good.

Some buds and I went to Frankies Fun Park to do some go karting the other day, and I usually ignore their arcade offerings. Well, I was pleasantly surprised.

I played quite a bit of Afterburner Climax, Ghost Squad, HOTD4, and others. The only bad part was there were really no fighting games. There was a machine that has all the SF2 and Alpha games on it, but it ran on a really shitty emulator.

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Originally Posted by youandwhosearmy

I thought of this place more as a place to get stabbed multiple times if you were better at Street Fighter 2 and Soul Calibur 2 than other people.

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As if they had SF2 or SC2 these days! The only fighting games left are MSHvSF, MvC2, Tekken 5 DR... and... um, I think that's it! Weak. Like I said, things were building to this.

And the key is to be drunk enough not to care. Or drunk enough that the knife doesn't hurt.

Funworld up in NH apparently still exists:
http://www.funworldnh.com/

Haven't been there in over two years though, and last time I went they had got rid of most of the true arcade games for kiddie stuff and DDR. They had a few fighting games, but I can't remember which. My local movie theater also has a driving game, a shooting game, and I think Tekken 4.

People still go to movies despite having HD TVs. I think arcades could still work the same way if they could only find the right set up.

A few years back the arcade in my hometown, Aladdin's Castle, closed down. It was pretty decent; my fondest childhood memory was the $10 Friday lock-ins. Basically, you get there at 9 (when the mall closes), and all the games are on free play until midnight. Free pizza, too.

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Originally Posted by youandwhosearmy

I thought of this place more as a place to get stabbed multiple times if you were better at Street Fighter 2 and Soul Calibur 2 than other people.

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I thought that was the Chinatown arcade in Boston in which someone actually did get stabbed over SFA3 as legend has it. I certainly wouldn't lift an eyebrow at the news of a GT stabbing, though.