BMI Merchandise – Focused on Fun For the New Jersey-based BMI Merchandise, “the new age is now.” The company says it’s working hard to make its A-to-Z solution the go-to for operators across the industry. With nearly 40 years of experience under their belts, BMI offers a wide range of crane and merchandiser prize kits and also aims to mitigate the time and labor costs of running a successful operation. “Something that’s a big recurring factor, regardless of your operation’s size, is time and labor,” said BMI National Sales Manager Mitchel Katz. “It’s important that you can maintain a fresh…
Author: RePlay Editor
What a Strong Collection! Museum of Play Offers Wonderful Ode to Coin-Op by Matt Harding The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y., is a treasure trove of toys, dolls, action figures and games of all kinds. The growing facility owns and cares for the world’s most comprehensive collection of artifacts, materials and documentation related to all types of “play,” said Jeremy Saucier, the museum’s assistant vice president for interpretation and electronic games. “We have more than half a million playthings,” he said. “While we have all these exhibits for people to learn and interact with and play in,…
A Party Too Big to Miss! Your Personal Invitation to Amusement Expo International 2025 By Beth Standlee, CEO, TrainerTainment Spring is on the way and the excitement for the Amusement Expo is in full bloom! You’ll want to plan to be part of the fun in Las Vegas from March 17-20. Get ready to party hard because this year’s show is packed with unforgettable experiences and endless opportunities. Why Attend a Show? Going to an event like the Amusement Expo is more than just a learning experience, it’s an investment in your future. Here are some compelling reasons why you…
Adrenaline Showdown Slide Into Fun or Take the Extreme Challenge – You Decide! by Barry Zelickson Looking for indoor entertainment that delivers unforgettable thrills? Whether you’re planning a family outing, hanging with friends or chasing your next adrenaline rush, the state of Arizona boasts two standout destinations that promise action-packed fun: Slick City in Peoria and Rush Extreme Fun Park in Chandler. These venues redefine what it means to have fun indoors, each offering a unique twist that will leave you and your crew buzzing. Let’s dive in and see what makes these spots must-visit destinations! • • • Slick…
Claw Daddy Brings Crane Arcades to California by Matt Harding Humble industry beginnings have quickly turned into quite the growing enterprise for operator Rob Pollard, better known as “Claw Daddy.” His California-based Claw Daddy Arcades launched in 2022 after spending years in the TV industry. “I shot 350 episodes of reality television,” he said. That included working as a producer on the show Wicked Tuna, which has since gotten its own video game adaptation thanks to UNIS. “It was really cool to see that at IAAPA knowing I had worked on the actual show,” Pollard added. With young children and…
Providing Value While Still Making Money by Jack Guarnieri, Jersey Jack Pinball & PinballSales.com An industry friend recently told me about a new FEC that priced their cranes at $7 per play on a swipe card system. By the way, that’s not a play-until-you-win crane. I wonder how those will do over time. On the other side of the price-per-play equation is the penny slot machine with its very low bar of entry. After all, they’re just a penny to play, right? With a dollar slot machine, you might put in three, five or more dollars per pull of a…
The 2025 AEI runs this month from the 17th to the 20th at the Las Vegas Convention Center (the education program on the 17th and 18th; the trade show on the 19th and 20th). This is the first big U.S. show of the year, and one that’s far more intimate than the gigantic IAAPA in the fall. AEI is the one where the majority of showgoers make, sell or operate “coin machines.” Just about everything on display at this trade show is of some use to people who run amusement machines on routes and in fun centers for a living.…
Meet Gel Blaster Nexus …the “Video Game in Real Life” It all started in 2020 on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Colin Guinn, the creator of Gel Blaster, raised around $300,000 for his first product – SURGE, a toy blaster using eco-friendly “Gellets” that fell some-where between paintball and airsoft projectiles. His two sons, then 13 and 8, were on either end of those spectrums at the time, with the older one enjoying and bonding with Dad over paintball while the younger one was a Nerf enthusiast. Guinn wanted to make something they could both enjoy. Since going into retail with…
Anticipating the Future at the 2025 Amusement Expo by Howard McAuliffe, Partner, Pinnacle Entertainment Group Hello, amusement aficionados! We’re looking ahead with anticipation to the upcoming 2025 Amusement Expo International. The buzz surrounding this year’s event is palpable. As I write this, only a few booths were still available so the show will definitely be completely full of vendors. Industry whispers and pre-show announcements paint a picture of a pivotal moment, a potential turning point where we collectively glimpse the next generation of amusement. As the post-Covid boom dissipates, this will be a crucial gathering where the industry’s brightest minds…
Pop-A-Shot Is Back! The Original Arcade Basketball Brand Returns to Coin-Op with the Elite The company that originated coin-op basketball shooters in the 1980s – Pop-A-Shot – will debut its first arcade and route model in 25 years at this month’s Amusement Expo. Called the Elite, it’s not your grandfather’s (or father’s) Pop-A-Shot. It’s that classic game reimagined! The Elite sports a 49” LCD display behind the backstop, which the operator can remotely program via the internet and the Pop-A-Shot Network to show location specials, advertising and custom messages along with custom backgrounds. Also with that internet connectivity, operators can…