Nickel Mania Arcade – Where Economical Enjoyment Plays Well

Nickel Mania is an affordable, family amusement center located at 2661 Midway Road in Carrollton, Texas. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink

Carrollton, TX – At the Nickel Mania Arcade, frugal and fun go hand-in-hand. Doing business there for 11 years, owner Jim Rowe likes it that way – and so do the customers.

Nickel Mania Arcade first opened in 1996 under different ownership. Back then, Jim and his son, Bennett, who was about 6 years old, came across the arcade that was near their home.

“I thought it was really cool, but had no desire to own it,” Jim recalls. Five years later, however, he had the opportunity to buy the place, pointing out: “It was all timing.”

Initially, Jim thought owning an arcade wouldn’t be too hard. “I’ve been in the amusement business and vending business all of my life, since I was 16 years old – filling vending machines at Parkland Hospital.”

Turns out, running an arcade is a different animal – a tougher-than-it-looks business, with new dynamics and customers than he first expected. For instance, a lot of business comes from daycare owners, moms and their kids, “the most important thing in the world to them.”

Olga and Jim Rowe have operated the profitable amusement center for 11 years. It caters to daycare centers, church groups, as well as families. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink

To succeed, Jim says, he and his wife, Olga, “learned quick” how to attract new customers and retain loyal ones. “Those daycares continue to come here year after year after year,” with some customers playing every week during the summer.

While other independently owned arcades came and went, the Nickel Mania Arcade has remained. Jim credits hard work and a hands-on, mom-and-pop management style – “keeping a close eye on it and watching those small details” – for their success.

“We’re kind of the Wal-Mart of the family entertainment business,” Jim believes. Generally, a game at the arcade costs four nickels, where the same thing is four quarters at a chain amusement center. And if a customer really wants to spend big there, he might drop six nickels on a game – compared to $1.50 elsewhere.

So, why spend a quarter to have fun when a nickel will do? At the Nickel Mania Arcade, you can spend a lot of time, good family time, but not much money. These days, that certainly makes sense – and saves a few cents, too.

by Springfield Lewis/Newsroom Ink

STORY EXCERT: NICKEL MANIA, CARROLLTON, TX
At the Nickel Mania Arcade, frugal and fun go hand-in-hand. Doing business there for 11 years, owner Jim Rowe likes it that way – and so do the customers.

Fun Facts:

• Customers go through about 120,000 nickels during an average week.
• In all, there are 90 games to play – such as Deal or No Deal, Beat Mania and Mad Wave Motion.
• Prices are most affordable – from a nickel for a game of Gold Zone and up to six nickels to play Big Bass Wheel, the arcade’s number-one game. 

MEDIA RELEASE: NICKEL MANIA, CARROLLTON, TX

Nickel Mania Arcade – Where Economical Enjoyment Plays Well – and Succeeds as a Business

Carrollton, TX – Family amusement centers come and go. Running an arcade is tougher than it looks. It ain’t all bright lights and ringing bells.

At the Nickel Mania Arcade, owner Jim Rowe and his wife, Olga, have figured how to make it work well, turning frugal and fun into a successful business. Open for 11 years, they have no thoughts of selling. A proven entrepreneur, Jim does think about expanding into new locations, and perhaps, franchising as well.

Nickel Mania Arcade first opened in 1996 under different ownership. Back then, Jim and his son, Bennett, who was about 6 years old, came across the arcade that was near their home.

“I thought it was really cool, but had no desire to own it,” Jim recalls. Five years later, however, he had the opportunity to buy the place, pointing out: “It was all timing.”

Initially, Jim thought owning an arcade wouldn’t be too hard. “I’ve been in the amusement business and vending business all of my life, since I was 16 years old – filling vending machines at Parkland Hospital.”

Turns out, running an arcade is a different animal – a tougher-than-it-looks business, with new dynamics and customers than he first expected. For instance, a lot of business comes from daycare owners, moms and their kids, “the most important thing in the world to them.”

To succeed, Jim says, he and Olga, “learned quick” how to attract new customers and retain loyal ones. “Those daycares continue to come here year after year after year,” with some customers playing every week during the summer.

While other independently owned arcades came and went, the Nickel Mania Arcade has remained. Jim credits hard work and a hands-on, mom-and-pop management style – “keeping a close eye on it and watching those small details” – for their success.

“We’re kind of the Wal-Mart of the family entertainment business,” Jim believes. Generally, a game at the arcade costs four nickels, where the same thing is four quarters at a chain amusement center. And if a customer really wants to spend big there, he might drop six nickels on a game – compared to $1.50 elsewhere.

So, why spend a quarter to have fun when a nickel will do? At the Nickel Mania Arcade, you can spend a lot of time, good family time, but not much money. These days, that certainly makes sense – and saves a few cents, too.