Misadventures in Funcoland: The Dream(cast) Van

Store: Ann Arbor
Notable Gaming Release: Dreamcast System

So since Sega did the memorable thing of releasing the Dreamcast on September 9th, 1999 (9.9.99), I can tell you that this story takes place on September 8th, leading into September 9th.  I don’t think this will be as long and drawn out as the other stories I’ve posted, but hey, those were supposed to be short quick stories too.

So it’s the day before the Dreamcast launch.  We’ve had a demo system in the store for about a month now which was really cool of Sega to do.  Come to think of it, I can’t think of any other system launch that has put a demo system in stores before the system actually launched… but I digress.  We started receiving all the games and accessories for the system about a week ahead of the launch and had them all ’splayed out on the wall with the rest of the new gaming stuff.

It’s Bacon Time!

I once read that to easily create a successful product, all you needed to do was take something that people like, and just add a clock to it.  Here’s my idea, I wonder if it will take off?

How I’m… fuck it… STREET FIGHTER IV Bitches!

It’s been a long time coming, and it’s finally here.  The one game that instantly made me feel like I was 13 all over again, and that is Street Fighter IV.  I don’t just mean playing the game, I mean everything leading up to it.  The last few days have been spent calling various stores, trying to get it as early as possible.  When a game is coming out that I’m really looking forward to, I always put money down at Gamestop just to be sure I get one, but 9 times out of 10, I can get it early through several spots I frequent that don’t have issues with breaking street dates.  But seriously… someone fucked this release up… big time.

Between my friend Chris and I, we musta annoyed the shit out of just about every video game store employee in NYC over the past 4 days.  Constantly calling, “Do you have it yet?  Do you think you’ll get it early?  When are you getting it?  Can I put my name down for one?  How about one for my friend?”  I haven’t gone this nuts for a game since the SNES days.  Calling around, trying to secure a location.  Come Monday, the hope was gone.  There was no weekend SF4 to be had.  So we moved on to the next possible solution, midnight release parties.  At this point, I’m really thinking it’s a good thing I got my reservation.

106 Mother Fucker!

106 days without a smoke!  (Pic unrelated)

Forward Thinking

Lots of great pics from the World’s Fair’s up on Google.  And to think I usually just ignore anything below the search button.

Milestones?

So today (the 15th, when I started writing this) is my 30th birthday. A milestone for sure. And in 2 days… Street Fighter IV will be released. Excited does not begin to describe it.

Misadventures in Funcoland: The Long Haul

Location: Sterling Heights, MI.
Notable Gaming Release: Quest 64 for the N64

It was the summer before I went off to college at Eastern Michigan University and I was working at the Sterling Heights (SH) store, almost completely alone.  Mon – Saturday, open to close, just me.  On sundays, ManagerPart2 would come in and take care of the paper work that I wasn’t able to do.  I mean, after all, I was only 19 and running the store pretty much by myself, can’t expect me to know how to balance the books on my own can ya?  If there is any one thing about the Sterling Heights store that you should know, it is that it was one of the slowest stores in the entire company.  I think on a good day I would sell $50 worth of shit unless someone bought a system.  So as you can see, this store was really really really slow.  I spent maybe 1 hour every morning straightening up and dusting after a couple weeks of organising the place.  The rest of the time… playing video games!

Misadventures in Funcoland: The IBGP

A long time ago in a state far far away (Michigan), I was working for Funcoland.  Recently, I was sharing stories with a friend whom I’d grown up with in Michigan that was in NYC from DC as he had once worked for Babbage’s in a similar capacity.  If you’re not familiar with Funcoland and/or Babbage’s, then that just goes to show the age difference between you and I.  If you know of Game Stop, know that Funcoland was bought out by Babbage’s and was turned into Gamestop.

Some quick background on my time at Funcoland:  I started working there in the fall of 1997 when I was 18.  I had graduated high school in June and quickly began a lucrative career in canine and feline sustenance allocation … I was a stock boy for a pet supply store, this diploma was soooo worth it!  After several months of slinging pet supplies, I found that the physical labor awoke a condition with my left shoulder and I had to find a new means of gainful employment.

I just happened into a Funcoland in Clinton Twp. Michigan as I was looking into picking up a Playstation.  I got to chatting with the manager and he asked if I was looking for a job.  The rest I’m sure you figured out by now.

What I plan to do with this series of posts is to share some of the more interesting stories that I have saved in my dome piece from my 3+ years working for Funcoland.  They will come in no particular order other than when I can remember them.  Though I will quote conversations, these will obviously be approximations since these stories take place about 10 years ago.  I will change up names to protect the innocent, though I don’t think there is anything to be criminalized of all these years later but hey…  So let’s get this party started.

It’s that time again…

There’s something beneath the surface… itching to get out… something good… something memorable… something…

All I wanna do is…

This song is stuck in my head…