PHILADELPHIA
GAMEROOM EXPO 2008

Date: June 13th - 15th 2008
Location: 2700 Southampton Road, Philadelphia, PA, USA. 19154.

We went to the Philadelphia Show on Saturday and arrived at 11:30.

Unfortunately, the show has a ways to go before being the "largest on the east coast" as suggested. There were hardly any vendors (maybe 1/4 of the spaces used) and while I was there, only about 1 dozen buyers.

The show floor
The show floor

I am used to going to the Allentown Wizards Convention and the York White Rose Show, so maybe I was not prepared for a game room show vs. a pinball show.

More of the show floor
More of the show floor

There were only 3 pinball machines available to play, 1 wood rail and 2 SS. If not for TNT amusements, it would have been a total bust for video arcade and pinballs (they had all but one of the playable games.)

Two of only three pinball machines at the show
Two of only three pinball machines at the show

The show's website only added the "bring your game' part of their site at the last minute, so many people probably never got the word.

The price for spaces may have turned away most dealers...$325-$360 per 10x10
booth. PLUS, $35 per outlet needed! That's 2-3 times all the other shows. (not a great idea for a first show) Admission price was good at $8 (I'm glad I didn't pay the $12 and take a day off for Friday admission)

All that being said, if you were looking for quality over quantity, National Jukebox Exchange brought some amazing one of a kind arcade machines.

National Jukebox Exchange's display
National Jukebox Exchange's display

The show had a great selection of juke boxes too. I don't know a bunch about the non-pinball stuff like juke boxes and coin-op stuff, but small selection of stuff that was there seemed 1st rate.

Some of the machines at the show
Some of the amusement machines at the show

The choice of Father's Day weekend may have turned some dealers away too... At 2 o'clock at least 2 of the dealers were starting to pack up and were not returning for Sunday. (Sunday buyers are going to be pissed-off if they had to waste a lot of gas
to get there.) It cost me $25 round trip in gas, which I wouldn't have wasted if I had known...

more amusements at the show
more amusements at the show

I would have to give this show a thumbs down, but I think with better organization and a better website & much lower dealer prices it could have worked. It was a great location, easy to get to and could have been a great idea. It will be very hard to get people back if they decide to have a second show in the future.


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