Economic Depression Taking Down My Favorite Stores

I was so upset I decided to make a blog post about it. We all know of the current situation in the US: markets are down, businesses are failing everywhere, and new ones are taking their place.


I know of two stores within 150 miles of my home that sell retro video games: Level Up Games in Reading, PA and the Control Pad in Freemansburg, PA. I went home this weekend to relax and get some work done. With a new paycheck in my bank account, I figured I would spend some of it on retro video games that I am looking for. Excited, I took my truck (which I cannot drive to school because my father needs it to travel to work) to Freemansburg only to be greeted by "Leslie's Treasures" in the Control Pad building. I promptly said "WTF?" and became very, very sad. The Control Pad was an excellent resource for my retro gaming needs, and now it is shut down.


As far as I know, Paul at Level Up Games is doing alright. He had the store for sale for a while. He has now seen an upbeat in business and decided to take the store off the market and he purchased a HUGE 50"+ LCD TV for tournaments. "I'd like to see them try to get that out of this store" he said, "I had an adventure and a half getting it in here." I have no way of getting to Paul up here in Nazareth PA; I could drive all the way down there, but it will take me an hour to get there, an hour to get back, and not to mention the time spent at the store. I wonder what time he is open this evening... I MAY venture 100 miles just to get my retro games.


I have had a lot of my favorite stores go under because of the 2008-Ongoing financual crisis. A mom and pop electronics store, Fudruckers (GREAT burgers), a White Castle, a current gen game store, among many others now the Control Pad. It makes me that much angrier at Congress for their partisan bickering and the president for remaining indecisive and inactive. As well, I am irritated at the financual system, the Treasury, and especially banks.


No taxation without representation, ladies and gentlemen of the Congress. We are getting fed up.