R.I.P.? Super Bear Arcade (Big Bear, CA)

[gibbous]

Not sure, but there's a guy who keeps reposting his pinballs for sale ad on CL in Big Bear. He has quite a selection, and his ads started appearing around the time the arcade closed. Might be the guy, but I've heard he's not easy to deal with and he's obviously dragging his feet in selling off his pins. So if those are his vids, he's probably also in no hurry for those either (unless you meet his price).

 

[savit4l8r]

Wonderful.

Thanks for the investigative work, though. Look forward to your follow-up.

So, pretty much the worst-case scenario might be starting to play out...anyone have connections to save the games? There are some excellent ones in there; I'll see if I can post some old pictures.

You would think that if the owner is locatable, he'd rather sell the games and get some money out of them. This is too bad.

 

[herbertsmart]

I am posting from my cell phone. I am standing outside the Super Bear Arcade. It is closed and all the games are still inside. It looks like the roof has begun to leak as the floor right inside the door is crumbling. Ill getsome pics and post th when I get back.

Yikes, I'll try to track down the owner and see if he knows about the leak. Perhaps it will motivate him to sell some games. I do know that after he closed up he was hoping to find somone to either buy the location and games as a package, or get someone to continue to operate the arcade. IIRC the real estate auction was starting at 1 or 2 million for the location only not including the games. I was just up in Big Bear on Sunday but did not have time to swing by through the Village to check on the place before heading home.

Not sure, but there's a guy who keeps reposting his pinballs for sale ad on CL in Big Bear. He has quite a selection, and his ads started appearing around the time the arcade closed. Might be the guy, but I've heard he's not easy to deal with and he's obviously dragging his feet in selling off his pins. So if those are his vids, he's probably also in no hurry for those either (unless you meet his price).

I don't think the pin guy in Big Bear is the same guy from the Super Bear arcade. Actually, I think the pin guy posts on RGP, or he used to anyway.

*** If anyone does get in touch with the owner and works out a deal. I have a space that can hold about 15-20 machines that can be used as temporary storage/staging area that is about 7 miles from the Super Bear. I'm happy to help haul and store machines for anyone that can get in touch with him and save those games.***

 

[pookdolie]

This is really too bad. But if anyone does have connections Ill take the Super Punch Out if its still there.

I actually laid claim to that game two years ago; left my info and everything with the owner, said "If you ever sell, I want it!" (Don't worry - he's probably lost my number by now, and I don't have the room. )

For those who are wondering what the big deal is about this closed arcade with the games sitting inside, collecting dust, here are some pictures when it was open:

 

[GackAttack]

D-D-D-Damn........

EDOT in the wild !!!!!!

[/QUOTE]

 

[pookdolie]

 

[pookdolie]

 

[andys80s]

Here's what I got......

 

[andys80s]

Here are the rest......

http://s1088.photobucket.com/albums/i327/andysedot/Super Bear Arcade/

 

[spmahn]

What an awesome place, but it's easy to see why it's closed. It's unfortunate, but in 2011, those games won't collectively earn enough to pay the utility costs of keeping them plugged it, let alone operating expenses. I would imagine whoever owns everything is just holding out for a buyer who will take everything wholesale rather than worry about piecing everything out one at a time. Hopefully everything gets saved, because there's some real classics there.

 

[avidgeek]

I remember staying at some private cabins about three blocks from Super Bear back around new years of 2001. I walked down there, hung out for a while, played Goliath. The game selection was about the same as seen in those pictures. I recall a vendor at the front counter who would embroider your ski cap for a few bucks. Seems they were trying to generate whatever business they could.

I also remember an arcade across the street....it seemed more like a retail game store as all their games were for sale and VERY HIGH PRICED! This was 2001 so that was to be expected.

I would imagine Super Auctions has been trying to contact them as well.

Games in an abandoned property in the mountains of a ski resort....hmmmm Sounds like a job for Sundance Man!

 

[pookdolie]

So...any updates as to the status of the property?

Is a rescue in order?

 

[savit4l8r]

Does anyone have any current pictures? If it looks like Little Sweeden, I can be there by 7:30 tonight...

 

[herbertsmart]

Last time I was there everything was still the same. The place is currently bank/inverstor owned with no immediate plans to sell off the equipment or re-open the arcade. They have been notified about the water leak and told me that it has been mitigated. If I get any other updates I'll post here. For current status pics refer to the ones Andy's80's took (everything looks the same).

 

[pookdolie]

Last time I was there everything was still the same. The place is currently bank/inverstor owned with no immediate plans to sell off the equipment or re-open the arcade. They have been notified about the water leak and told me that it has been mitigated. If I get any other updates I'll post here. For current status pics refer to the ones Andy's80's took (everything looks the same).

Thanks for the update!

I can see it sitting for another 5 years and someone throwing the switch one day a la TRON: Legacy. Sad to think of that Super Punch-Out!!, EDOT and the rest of them getting dusty and cobwebby...especially during the summer, when they should be played by the tourists and not hiding in the dark.

 

[cadillacman]

I hate to say it but those games are going to sit in there until a pipe breaks or the rof leaks and theyre all going to end up as moldy sponges.
I sure hope im wrong.

But if you think about it that building and games are probhably worth more in an insurance payout than they are bieng sold in the real world. I forsee bad things.

 

[That80sGuy]

If its bank owned now I guess it is too late for the KLOV community to offer the guy some tech help to repair the games that need fixing. If all that was holding the business back was poor management and lack of upkeep...maybe we could have lent a hand to keep it open.

 

[pookdolie]

If its bank owned now I guess it is too late for the KLOV community to offer the guy some tech help to repair the games that need fixing. If all that was holding the business back was poor management and lack of upkeep...maybe we could have lent a hand to keep it open.

This arcade is most of the way up a mountain. It's a time capsule for a reason: it's unfortunately not very accessible...

 

[Robotron Jon]

I recently bought many of the classic machines in there via a deal with the bank who owns the property. I'm teaming up with timthearcadeguy.com to sell these off out of this garage in the next couple of months. We'll be converting the EDOT in a xxx-1 (Blue Elf).

 

[pookdolie]

I recently bought many of the classic machines in there via a deal with the bank who owns the property. I'm teaming up with timthearcadeguy.com to sell these off out of this garage in the next couple of months. We'll be converting the EDOT in a xxx-1 (Blue Elf).

Don't forget: you promised me the Zektor.

Once I get that fire hazard of a monitor out of there, I can transfer those Pit Fighter guts into it.