Stop n' Play - Funspot - Port Richey, FL 1983

Gary Vincent

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Location
Weirs Beach, New Hampshire


I remember opening this arcade in November 1983. A crew of us from Weirs Beach flew down the day before the grand opening because there was still a lot of work that needed to be done prior to the live radio broadcast and festivities scheduled for 12 noon on Saturday. We landed in Tampa around lunchtime and got to the arcade around 2pm. I ended up working from then until noon the next day finishing game set-up, installing the sound system and replacing ceiling tiles. It was a crazy rush to get it done and open but we made it.

The grand opening went well the next morning and the location of the arcade must have been a good one since it is still there. The inside has changed some in 28 years and obviously, the original games are mostly gone. It was fun to watch this video and see the arcade is still there and doing well.

Gary
PS: When time permits I will add some more information about opening this arcade in 1983
 


I remember opening this arcade in November 1983. A crew of us from Weirs Beach flew down the day before the grand opening because there was still a lot of work that needed to be done prior to the live radio broadcast and festivities scheduled for 12 noon on Saturday. We landed in Tampa around lunchtime and got to the arcade around 2pm. I ended up working from then until noon the next day finishing game set-up, installing the sound system and replacing ceiling tiles. It was a crazy rush to get it done and open but we made it.

The grand opening went well the next morning and the location of the arcade must have been a good one since it is still there. The inside has changed some in 28 years and obviously, the original games are mostly gone. It was fun to watch this video and see the arcade is still there and doing well.

Gary
PS: When time permits I will add some more information about opening this arcade in 1983


When was this shot!? I am 10 minutes from there and I know that it "used" to be part of the FunSpot legacy but was sold a few years ago? I thought most of the stuff isn't there anymore? I had no idea that they still had some games and pins.. I thought it was all redemption
 
Too funny Gary. I know the guy that made this video pretty well from YouTube. He is a big fan of arcades and gaming in general. I always tell him he needs to hit up Funspot/ACAM!
 
When was this shot!? I am 10 minutes from there and I know that it "used" to be part of the FunSpot legacy but was sold a few years ago? I thought most of the stuff isn't there anymore? I had no idea that they still had some games and pins.. I thought it was all redemption

According to YouTube, the video was uploaded a month ago however, I don't know when it was shot. Funspot (Bob and John Lawton) owned this location with their step brother who lived in Port Richey. In the late 1980's they sold it to him and he changed the name to Stop n' Play. He sold it several years later.

Too funny Gary. I know the guy that made this video pretty well from YouTube. He is a big fan of arcades and gaming in general. I always tell him he needs to hit up Funspot/ACAM!

Wow, small world! Tell him to stop by!


We had a double decker bus at this Funspot just like we did up in Weirs Beach. The Florida bus had dark tinted windows which made for an anxious moment at McDonald's one day. Two of us took the bus to McDonald's for lunch and as we pulled around the building, the manager came out in a panic saying we had to call ahead before bringing a busload of people there because they were not prepped for a rush like that and on and on. The driver opened the side door to unload the lone passenger....me.

One day, one of the women there decided to fill the large planters in front of the arcade and plant flowers. The bus driver didn't realize she shoveled sand from the side of the building where he usually parked the bus. That afternoon, he backs the bus in and promptly plants the rear wheels in the hole she dug. The hole was only about a foot deep but an English double decker bus has very low ground clearance so it was stuck. I made a huge mistake when calling the first towing company. "Hi, this is Gary over at Funspot on US 19, can you pull a double decker bus out of a hole?" Click. "Hello? Hello?" The next towing company I called went better since I first asked if they had seen the new arcade that opened. A short while later they pulled the bus out of the tiny hole.

Gary :)
 
I was here in 1992, I can't believe it's still there it was pretty empty back then it must be kept open with birthday parties......Holosseum took most of my money and I stunk at it. Hopefully they can keep it open and I'll drop in in August of 2012 when I'm down there.
 
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