RePlay Magazine

As I travel the country on the Novak Roadshow and talk to family entertainment center owners, there is one question that comes up more than any other: "How do I find a great game technician?" You can put an ad out for a general manager, attractions supervisor, or an event coordinator and get dozens of resumes from people with transferable skills. But where do you go to find a great game tech? There is no "Arcade Tech 101" degree at the local university. There is no national c

Note: This article was originally published in the June 2026 issue of RePlay Magazine. I’m expanding on it here with some extra "Consultant's Corner" strategies and a hands-on walk-through audit you can use with your management team this week. We spend a lot of time as operators looking at the "back of the house." We’re deep into P&L statements, labor percentages, and the day-to-day coaching of a young, energetic staff. But when was the last time you actually experienced your

Note: This article was originally published in the May 2026 issue of RePlay Magazine. I’m expanding on it here with some extra "Clint’s Corner" strategies and structural advice for operators who need to transition from "survival hiring" to "excellence hiring." As I travel the country on the Novak Roadshow, I hear the same refrain from nearly every operator I meet: "Clint, I just can’t find good help." It’s the universal struggle of the 2026 FEC landscape. We are all fighting

Bongos Dirty Soda By Clint Novak | Originally featured in RePlay Magazine Note: This article was originally published in the April 2026 issue of RePlay Magazine. I’m expanding on it here with some extra "Consultant's Corner" tips for operators looking to implement this immediately. Clint Novak sampling Bongos Dirty Soda! In February, while attending the IAAPA FEC Summit, our group visited Pecan Lake Entertainment in Queen Creek, Arizona. As we toured their impressive food and

Reclaiming Prime Real Estate with High-Engagement Social Play As I prepare to hit the pavement for the first leg of the Novak Roadshow , I’ve been thinking a lot about the "real estate" inside our facilities. Every square foot has to earn its keep. We all have that one attraction that perhaps was the "star of the show" five years ago but is now seeing its numbers plateau. For this month’s column, I reached out to someone who recently made a bold move to reclaim some prime rea