Remember When Pinball Palace & Retro Arcade

06/12/2019

Well gang, as many already know, a replacement Retro Arcade has opened on the Boardwalk. It is at magnolia ave... 2900 Boardwalk.

It is called tributes and traditions and has a front and side entrance as it is a corner.

Yes, it is me as i am asked by those wondering recognising many if the games which were in the mall with th3 remember when retro arcade.

It just opened 2 weeks ago and yes it has fascination inside too.

It is not as large as we had in the mall but the location is far superior.

AND i am working on two other locations...

1 on the boardwalk and 1 on wildwood ave.

But for now, 2900 boardwalk at magnolia ave is open every night after 6 and11 on sat and sunday.

See you there.

07/18/2018

the mall was sold in november and the Retro arcade was thrown out along with other tenants of the mall. They had stated to me at that time that they could better utilize the area for something else.... as you now see they have put in an arcade of their own i assume in attempt to capitalize on the established trade which I had developed over the last 7 seasons in that location. Many people have no idea of what has happened and walk in to find the Retro Arcade gone, and what ever they call that now, there in its place. The issue becomes very complicated because I had first right of refusal purchase option in my lease contract for the Mall, and I accepted that offer to purchase the Mall so that the Retro Arcade could have remained and expanded... My purchase Option was ignored, and they went ahead and sold it to someone else anyway. The matter is going through the legal process now as I am suing. There is a possibility that the sale will be declared invalid, and that I will be able to purchase the property and then return the Retro Arcade to it;s rightful place back in the Mall... In the mean time I leased a Building at 141 e wildwood ave, behind my woolwoths building on pacific ave, and I had intended to open a smaller retro arcade for folks to enjoy this summer... City of Wildwood demands have delayed this opening, and it is likely that this will cost the summer, resulting in the earliest possible opening sometime in the fall. Sorry to disappoint you and everyone else who love to play my games so filled with history, and this whole thing was so necessary. It really makes no sense, as I attempted to minimize my damages by staying at the mall even after they sold it out from under me, but instead decided to put in their own arcade which from what I hear is not much of an arcade, and has little chance of making money to survive without continued input of funds from the owners to keep it alive. It is best to follow and friend my personal facebook in order to hear any news on the situation. "Randy Senna" sorry to have missed you, and hope to see you down the road.

05/02/2018

I did an interview this Friday on the possible new location for the Retro Arcade. He it is.

This special video explains what is happening with the wonderful classic retro arcade in Wildwood New Jersey and the efforts RANDY SENNA is taking. A new RAN...

04/24/2018

Remember When Pinball Palace & Retro Arcade is CLOSED at this time.
The Boardwalk Mall where we were located was sold, and the Retro Arcade was thrown out along with several other tenants.
We attempted to stay but the new ownership said that they decided early on that they could better utilize the space, and that the Retro Arcade was out.
At this time the Retro Arcade does not have a new home to open it’s doors for all those who love what we do.
The Retro Arcade had First Right of Refusal Purchase Option in the Lease Contract at the Boardwalk Mall, however, the Mall Owner did NOT honor that option which WAS exorcised by the Retro Arcade, when we were notified of a sale offer being made...
The Matter is still very much unsettled, and HUGE DAMAGES have been created because of our Option NOT being honored, and the events which followed.
These Damages are On-Going, as time continues to pass, and we are advised by our Lawyer, that it IS possible, that the Judge will REVERSE the sale of the property, so that our Purchase Option IS honored...
In that event, The Retro Arcade could RETURN to the Boardwalk Mall as early as NEXT SEASON, however, matters like this often take several years in Court, so that could happen in TWO years, THREE Years, or more.... or it may NEVER happen.
If we are successful in Court, there might only be a monetary damages award by the Court, which would be quite substantial based upon the HUGE damages involved...
That would result in our continued efforts to rebuild the Retro Arcade once a suitable location can be acquired.
There has been a rumor, that the Boardwalk Mall, after other failed attempts to fill the space of the Retro Arcade, has now made a deal to bring another Arcade into the location.
Seems odd considering that the reasons we were given as to why we could not stay, were that they had better ideas to utilize the area....
Please understand that if there is an Arcade in the Boardwalk Mall this season, that WE have NOTHING to do with it.
We can only guess that any Arcade installed to REPLACE the Retro Arcade, would be more the type of Arcade which is found most anywhere in the country today, and could NEVER offer ALL the UNIQUE and PRICELESS machines of our childhood like we did at the Retro Arcade.
We must assume from our experiences, that the Guests who came to the Retro Arcade we offered, would most likely be extremely disappointed if they came to play our Museum games, and found Today’s games there instead...
We personally have no plans on setting one foot in there this season.
Time will tell the answers and the conclusion of this story.
We are sorry to disappoint all the kind folks who made the Retro Arcade possible, and we hope to be able to serve you all again in the future.
Thank You for all your kind support.

05/18/2016

Well gang,

Yesterday, Wildwood officials announced a BIG 4th of July spectacular!

They will be having a big Tim McGraw concert on the beach on the 4th of July.

They also plan an entire weekend of music concerts on Saturday and Sunday, but the big highlight is Monday the 4th of July.

As stated by City officials, it is a perfect weekend for it, as the 4th landing on a Monday this year, means everyone will be down all weekend long.

I am certain, most folks think this is great news, and that it will really boost the guest attendance for Wildwood, making it a banner holiday weekend!!

However, the reverse is true.

Business owners I speak to see this as what will be the WORST 4th of July weekend as far as their business earning potential because of this planned event.

When managing an Amusement Park, or Boardwalk Town, it is important understand just what the area actually sells, and/or businesses survive on.

The Boardwalk is NOT a general admission Park....

Folks come to the Boardwalk and WALK.

Business operation rely upon folks wanting to participate in being on the Boardwalk, by tasting the ice cream and pizza pie, riding the rides, playing the games, and buying that souvenir of the visit....

The EVENT of coming to the Boardwalk is the BOARDWALK experience itself....

That is the reason people are there, and as such, the Boardwalk survives through the patronage of the Boardwalk visitors.

When a BIG Event Concert is presented on the Beach at the Boardwalk, it does NOT bring people to the Boardwalk who are there to do the "Boardwalk" experience...

These "Event" seekers see the Boardwalk as ONLY the "place" where the "event" will be held, and go to that location ONLY for the purpose of SEEING that EVENT.

These Event patrons will NOT be doing the "Boardwalk" experience, because they are NOT there for that...

They will NOT walk the Boardwalk to just enjoy the atmosphere...

They will NOT pass the time away by snacking on the varied foods, or playing the games...

They will NOT get the wrist band to go on the rides...

They will NOT browse the lines of shops, and walk home with bags of Boardwalk Treasures....

These Event Patrons will come to see the Event which is the "purpose" of their visit ONLY.

They will fight for places to park and the pricing at the parking lots will SOAR as the added crowds will make parking extremely limited at a premium price.

The Event Patrons will come early, NOT to do some Boardwalk experiences first, but instead, they will come early so that they can get in line for a "front location" for the event when the gates are finally opened for their admittance....

Just like when Black Friday sales start at 5 am, shoppers camp out at the door from the night before so they are first in line....

And they will NOT leave their spot to go get an ice cream cone, or a lemonade....

Then the gates will open, and the crowd will head to the stage area....

Not at concert time, but with plenty of time ahead to allow for everyone to get their seats before the show....

Vendors for the Concert will certainly offer refreshments and souvenirs at the Concert... but these are NOT Boardwalk vendors who survive on the revenues from sales generated in a short summer season....

Everything about the Special Event, is separate from the Boardwalk operations which will SUFFER from everyone ignoring them, as the whole focus of the day will be the "spectacle" of the Special Event.

Those who came to the Boardwalk NOT because of the Concert, will certainly stand at the edge of the Boardwalk, lean on the Fence overlooking the beach, and watch the "Circus", as the Event Patrons fill up the beach, and the Concert begins...

The Concert is not a FREE Concert... but still, the music and the lights will carry over into the Boardwalk so that folks can watch and hear everything going on from a distance....

So if people are NOT actually on the beach, having paid the $40,- admission fee, then they will be standing with their backs to the Boardwalk, and the Boardwalk merchants, as everyone's focus will be upon the BIG Star singing at the Special Event Concert!

These facts will make the 4th of July Holiday weekend the WORST Holiday Weekend for Boardwalk Business in decades.

Sure, the Parking lots will see huge profits as folks will have to dig deep in their pocket, or walk from far away where they were able to find parking....

Families who did NOT come for the Concert, will be shocked at the cost to park their cars in Wildwood this 4th of July Weekend....

Hotels will be full; but they would have been full for 4th of July Weekend anyway....

The bottom line folks, is that the "EVENT" that people should come to the Boardwalk for, is the BOARDWALK itself.

To set up a "Special Event" only serves to take attention away from the Boardwalk Merchants who are the Boardwalk Experience.

In the BIG picture of things, Special Events will only serve to destroy the Boardwalk, as attention and money spent will be diverted and divided.

And when the Concert ends, then there will be the MASS exodus as everyone will hurry to get to their car, and get out of town in effort to beat the traffic going home....

These are the FACTS folks....

It is not speculation on what could happen.... it is a story that HAS happened many time before...

It happened just that way with the Kenny Chesney Concert a few years ago....

And the BIGGER the Headliner Star... then the BIGGER the stolen attention to the Boardwalk Experience...

It happens even at Disney World.... When they run special events.... the rides have NO lines....

even when Disney runs a Parade, or a Show... the Rides have short lines...

Why? because everyone is at the Event.

Pretty simple to understand.

But Major Amusement Parks as One BIG Entity.

They own everything so when you park you car, they get the fees...

When you PAY to get in, or eat something... THEY get the money...

So for the Major Parks to run an event, it makes no difference if no one is on the rides.... because they got your money for being there when you came in...

The Boardwalk in CONTRAST is an Independent Operation....

Each business survives ONLY on the patronage, and Monies spent at that location.

The City owns the Beach, and makes contracts for these Special Events...

The MONIES collected by the City for these Events does NOT help the Boardwalk Business Owner who is trying to make a living.

It is a situation where the City has gone into the Amusement Business and is in competition for the same dollars that the Business Owners are trying to earn.

Is it unfair??

That is a matter of opinion, but fair or unfair, the result will be the same...

Boardwalk Businesses will suffer from Special Concerts and Events, UNLESS ALL monies from these events are divided to subsidize the Boardwalk Business DIRECTLY.

If not, you can expect more and more Boardwalk Business to fail, and close their doors...

The Boardwalk Experience will become only a memory of what it once was....

And the ONLY time anyone will come to the Boardwalk, will be when they are running another "Special Event". because there will be nothing left on the Boardwalk to come see, and do.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHeZzVPO60w

"Randy Rant #1" Randy talks economy, boardwalk politics, and taxation without representation. The Thoreau of Fascination.

09/24/2015

CINE Pitchfest: New York, NY — October 8, 2015 CINE pitchfest: Washington, DC — October 14, 2015 CINE pitchfest: Los Angeles, CA — November 4, 2015 TICKET PRICES: General Admission: $20 Student: $10

05/23/2013

Well gang,

The start of Memorial Day Weekend is almost here, and with that comes the start of the season on the Boardwalk.

I hope all of you get a chance to take some time for yourselves, and visit Wildwood this summer.

And be sure to put the Remember When Retro Arcade at the Boardwalk Mall, on your things to do list.

We just received a nice mention in the Philadelphia Daily News on Friday...

they said;

* Escape the "I'm With Stupid" T-shirts and cheap stuffed animals in the basement of the Boardwalk Mall at East Garfield Avenue, where a veritable pinball wizard awaits.

Randy Senna is a unique Wildwood character - and that's saying something. A showman who once operated arcades up and down the Jersey coast, he recently dusted off dozens of retro pinball machines, arcade and video games and old-time shooting games he's collected over the years to create the Hoarder's Retro Arcade.

Yes, it got its name because he was on the A&E TV series "Hoarders."

"We offer games that are fun. That is what we sell; we sell fun," he said.


The story link is:
http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-17/news/39338565_1_wildwood-crest-wildwood-boardwalk-jet-skis

Also, the Randy Senna facebook is;
https://www.facebook.com/randy.senna?ref=tn_tnmn

THERE'S A FEELING you get, walking toward the Wildwood Boardwalk at night; an anticipation that hits you all at once when that wide, eclectic, electric expanse unfolds before you. There's nothing...

04/13/2013

i just wanted to send you a link to amazon. it just appeared today !

a brand new book. yes, this is number 3 for me.

i hope everyone finds it very interesting !

http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-Reality-TV/dp/1484029941/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365866018&sr=1-3&keywords=randy+senna

What is the Reality of Reality TV ? What is it like to be selected for TV shows like The Apprentice, Hoarders, or American Pickers? Why are those people who appear on Reality TV shows, almost always, sworn to secrecy by the contracts they sign to be on the show, not to tell the truth about their ...

07/24/2011

If you have any questions for Randy email him at [email protected]

07/24/2011

Check this out from our show on Hoarders,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140580511807

Real Randy Hair from Randyland as seen on Hoarders !! in Entertainment Memorabilia , Television Memorabilia , Other |eBay

07/13/2011

Also our $5.00 30 minute special is still available! Come play today!