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Lloyd's SS Billiards arcade thrives post-refresh with diverse machine lineup and legendary tech support.
The 2015 refresh launched Lloyd's business five years ahead and enabled him to weather road closures and signage disruptions
high confidence · Direct quote from Lloyd: 'The refresh has had a very positive impact on my business. Easily launched me five years ahead of where I was and enabled me to continue to grow and make improvements.'
Lloyd added 13 new machines since the 2015 refresh: Walking Dead Pro, Medieval Madness LE, Hobbit LE, Attack From Mars LE, Dialed In! LE, Pirates LE, Monster Bash LE, AC/DC Luci Vault Edition, Willy Wonka LE, and earlier Bill Paxton and Breakshot
high confidence · Lloyd explicitly enumerated all machines added post-refresh in chronological order
Lloyd maintains a deliberate pricing structure across 30+ machines: 25¢, 50¢, 75¢, $1-$2, and $1-6/$5 tiers to serve different customer budgets
high confidence · Lloyd detailed specific pricing: 'One pinball machine is 25¢ a game, seven pinball machines are 50¢ a game, six pinball machines are 75¢ a game and three games for $2.00...'
Lloyd considers Jersey Jack and Chicago Gaming/Planetary Pinball Supply remakes 'some of the finest pinball machines ever built'
high confidence · Direct quote: 'The Planetary Pinball Supply/Chicago Gaming Company remakes and the Jersey Jack Pinball machines are some of the finest pinball machines ever built.'
Lloyd provides tech support through four phones, two email addresses, Pinside forums, Facebook, manufacturer help desks, and in-person consultations
high confidence · Lloyd listed extensive support channels: 'I'm rocking four phones, two e-mail addresses, private messages on Pinside and Facebook, two manufacturer help desks, pinball forums...'
Lloyd spent five years seeking an AC/DC Premium before finally acquiring an AC/DC Luci Vault Edition
high confidence · Lloyd stated: 'The AC/DC Premium was top of my list for five years and finally the stars and planets lined-up and a deal worked out when I got the AC/DC Luci Vault Edition.'
Lloyd is reducing seminar and show attendance to prioritize local business operations
“The refresh has had a very positive impact on my business. Easily launched me five years ahead of where I was and enabled me to continue to grow and make improvements. And helped me weather things that happen that can really hamper a small business.”
Lloyd (LTG) @ Interview section — Demonstrates the tangible business impact of arcade renovation and how it provided resilience during external challenges like road closures
“In 2017, Freeway 169 east of me was closed for 10 months... And right after that a new front and signage was put on the building, so for three weeks the strip mall I'm in looked abandoned.”
Lloyd (LTG) @ Interview section — Illustrates specific operational challenges Lloyd faced and how strategic timing of the refresh helped mitigate them
“Every customer has different budgets for entertainment – especially parents bringing in children to play – so I try to have something for everybody.”
Lloyd (LTG) @ Interview section — Reveals Lloyd's deliberate business philosophy of inclusive pricing across machine tiers to serve diverse customer demographics
“The Planetary Pinball Supply/Chicago Gaming Company remakes and the Jersey Jack Pinball machines are some of the finest pinball machines ever built.”
Lloyd (LTG) @ Interview section — Reflects community consensus on manufacturing quality and Lloyd's endorsement carries weight as a legendary operator and technician
“I'm rocking four phones, two e-mail addresses, private messages on Pinside and Facebook, two manufacturer help desks, pinball forums, my column on Pinside... I hope to keep helping people with pinball tech help.”
Lloyd (LTG) @ Interview section — Documents Lloyd's extensive tech support infrastructure and his commitment to community education across multiple platforms
“The AC/DC Premium was top of my list for five years and finally the stars and planets lined-up and a deal worked out when I got the AC/DC Luci Vault Edition.”
Lloyd (LTG) @ Future plans section — Humanizes Lloyd's collector passion and demonstrates scarcity/desirability of premium editions in the market
business_signal: Lloyd reducing seminar/show attendance to focus on local business due to time and cost constraints; represents shift in how experienced operators allocate resources
high · Lloyd: 'One change is I likely won't do any more seminars in the future, and shows I attend will be less too. While I'll miss the excitement and people, the cost and time spent will allow me to do more for my business.'
business_signal: Operator maintains deliberate multi-tier pricing structure (25¢ to $1/$5 models) to serve diverse customer demographics including budget-conscious families
high · Lloyd detailed specific pricing tiers: 'Every customer has different budgets for entertainment – especially parents bringing in children to play – so I try to have something for everybody.'
business_signal: Facility renovation (2015 refresh) provided significant competitive advantage and business resilience during subsequent operational disruptions (road closures, signage issues)
high · Lloyd: 'The refresh has had a very positive impact on my business. Easily launched me five years ahead of where I was and enabled me to continue to grow and make improvements. And helped me weather things that happen that can really hamper a small business.'
community_signal: Lloyd maintains extensive multi-platform tech support infrastructure (4 phones, 2 emails, forums, manufacturer desks, in-person) demonstrating sustained community commitment and demand for his expertise
high · Lloyd stated: 'I'm rocking four phones, two e-mail addresses, private messages on Pinside and Facebook, two manufacturer help desks, pinball forums, my column on Pinside, and people stopping in...'
positive(0.85)— Throughout the article, Lloyd expresses satisfaction with business growth post-refresh, pride in his machine collection, enthusiasm for community support work, and optimism about future plans. Tone is warm and appreciative. Only mild negative sentiment regarding reduced seminar/show attendance due to time/cost constraints, but framed pragmatically.
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high confidence · Lloyd: 'One change is I likely won't do any more seminars in the future, and shows I attend will be less too. While I'll miss the excitement and people, the cost and time spent will allow me to do more for my business.'
“I don't know if I mentioned back when I picked up the roll cab. There is a limited number of tools and limited number of parts that I use a lot when fixing or cleaning something... Saves me running back and forth grabbing tools and parts.”
Lloyd (LTG) @ LTG - Ever Helpful section — Provides practical advice for operators on workflow efficiency and technical support logistics
community_signal: Legendary operator actively supporting manufacturers and referral ecosystem; provides formal endorsements through personal recommendations without compensation
high · Lloyd: 'Some distributors I know that are good I refer potential customers to them...I tell them to let them know LTG sent them. I don't get anything for it but the distributors know I'm sending someone who is serious to buy a game.'
market_signal: Five-year scarcity of AC/DC Premium edition reflects high desirability of specific limited edition machines; Vault Edition represents acceptable substitute after extended wait
medium · Lloyd: 'The AC/DC Premium was top of my list for five years and finally the stars and planets lined-up and a deal worked out when I got the AC/DC Luci Vault Edition.'
market_signal: Strong operator interest in modern Jersey Jack and Chicago Gaming/Planetary Pinball Supply machines; these manufacturers' products are being prioritized acquisitions and praised as quality
high · Lloyd acquired 9 machines from these two manufacturers post-refresh and stated they are 'some of the finest pinball machines ever built'; he specifically provides tech support for these brands