Independent operator and all-round coin-op enthusiast Adam Pratt runs the Game Grid Arcade in Utah, US. He told Dan Snook what drives and inspires him
“Will be ready hopefully within 15 minutes. My Street Fighter II came up with a fault, checking it now,” read the Skype message from Adam Pratt on my laptop prior to our interview. I was already looking forward to the interview with him. Firstly, he used correct English, even on social media. Tick. Secondly, he was delayed due to fixing the classic that is SFII, which meant that, along with being the proprietor of his establishment, he was also the techie too. He’s committed to his coin-op. Big tick. Pratt isn’t the only employee at his location in the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City, Utah, US; his brother works there too. He’s been running the retro-machine filled Game Grid since June 2008 and it’s therefore nearly its 10th anniversary. So for the best part of last decade, he’s been growing the business as best he can and operating a wide array of machines. When you’re taking care of pretty much everything in the arcade, finding the time to recruit as well must be a tricky balancing act. “I want to hire more staff,” admitted Pratt, “but figuring out when to do that versus bringing in new equipment or trying to grow earnings is difficult.”
