The End of NAVA as We Know It

[digitalpress]

The very last NAVA (North American Videogame Aficionados), as we know it will be held at Video Game Connections (http://www.videogameconnections.com) this Saturday, February 15th. This classic videogame collector's event has been held on a regular basis - at least 4 times a year - since 1995. We encourage everyone on the east coast to attend - see HERE (http://www.digitpress.com/nava.htm) for details, directions, and local lodging. This is HUGE. You MUST attend.

Let me be the first to say "thanks for the memories", Mike! The east coast contingent owes you a great debt for the commitment to the hobby you've shown over the years. NAVA will carry on in some way, shape, or form, but it will never be the same again. Best of luck to you in your future ventures and know that you'll ALWAYS be welcome to join us, wherever the rest of us go.

[NoahsMyBro]

:-(

Hey, what's happening???? The few times I've been to the NAVA gatherings I've had a good time. I've hoped for a meeting to coincide with a time my wife and son are out of town so I can stay as late as I want, and that hasn't happened yet, but aside form that I've had no complaints!

Why is this the end?

FWIW, Mike, it's always been a fun time, I've enjoyed free play on Moon Patrol, and I wish you the best of luck in whatever/wherever you're moving on to.

Steve

[Kid Ice]

Rats! I was just getting into these meetings! What's up with that?

Well, I'm definitely IN for this one...

the kid

[Regus]

I will most definitely try to attend, as way to pay my respects to one of the only independant game stores in the area.

Pssst, digitalpress, or any one else for that matter, if you happen to have a copy of DC Half-Life, please bring it with you, I am dying to play it.

[mikeetler]

First off, a hugh thanks to Joe, John Hardie, Alan Davis, Tom Keller, Rich Depping, Scott Crawford, Jay Forman, John Dondzilla, Lenny Herman and the countless others who helped make the meetings the success that they were.

The reason for the change is after over twelve years of owning a retail store I have decided to put my family first and move on. There is no way to keep a succesful retail business going when a lot of the time involved could be better spent with my kids and wife. I will be continuing the mail order end of things going and do have plans for future meetings, though not as frequent and most likely not for 6 months or so since I have a lot of work ahead of me at home.

Thanks to everyone for over six wonderful years of memories and friendships.

-Mike

[punkoffgirl]

Well, I've only managed to make it to one meeting, but it was awesome through and through. Mike, I can say that I've never been to another gathering that felt as WELCOMING as that (except the lack of chairs to sit in *lol*). If I don't make it down this weekend, hopefully I'll see you in the future if/when the meetings start up again somewhere else? Take care of that leg!!!

[icbrkr]

First off, a hugh thanks to Joe, John Hardie, Alan Davis, Tom Keller, Rich Depping, Scott Crawford, Jay Forman, John Dondzilla, Lenny Herman and the countless others who helped make the meetings the success that they were.

The reason for the change is after over twelve years of owning a retail store I have decided to put my family first and move on. There is no way to keep a succesful retail business going when a lot of the time involved could be better spent with my kids and wife. I will be continuing the mail order end of things going and do have plans for future meetings, though not as frequent and most likely not for 6 months or so since I have a lot of work ahead of me at home.

Thanks to everyone for over six wonderful years of memories and friendships.

-Mike

Am I reading this right.. the store is closing and will be only mail order?

Brian

[mikeetler]

Am I reading this right.. the store is closing and will be only mail order?

Brian

That is correct.

-Mike

[rolenta]

Let me be the first to say "thanks for the memories", Mike! The east coast contingent owes you a great debt for the commitment to the hobby you've shown over the years. NAVA will carry on in some way, shape, or form, but it will never be the same again. Best of luck to you in your future ventures and know that you'll ALWAYS be welcome to join us, wherever the rest of us go.

I will second that Joe! Thanks Mike for the great times at the store for the past seven years (since I started going there). The store will definitely be missed but I look forward to the possible change of venue.

See you all Saturday!

[digitalpress]

I almost forgot - I have a few pictures taken from NAVA in the past year (two different occasions), if you're interested, they're here:

http://www.digitpress.com/images/nava/

[icbrkr]

Am I reading this right.. the store is closing and will be only mail order?

Brian

That is correct.

-Mike

Bummer! I've always had good service with you and was hoping to someday visit the retail store :/

Brian

[mikeetler]

Bummer! I've always had good service with you and was hoping to someday visit the retail store :/

Brian

Thanks. The decision to end retail after 12 years wasn't an easy one but one that had to be made.

-Mike

[CX2K]

I'd like to thank Mike as well. I love these meetings. In fact I can't remember ever missing a meeting. Not in the last few years at least. :)

Thanks to everyone for some great times and good trades. See you all Sat.

As a side note, I urge everyone to bust out all their good trade stuff. Don't hold back. I'll be bringing roughly 4 or 5 boxes of goodies so let's do some swapping/selling.

See ya then.
John




Bummer! I've always had good service with you and was hoping to someday visit the retail store :/

Brian

Thanks. The decision to end retail after 12 years wasn't an easy one but one that had to be made.

-Mike

[brandver3]

Where is it? I want to go to.

[autobotracing]

Where is it? I want to go to.


me too! I wish we had somthing like this here in florida. :( >:(

[digitalpress]

Where is it? I want to go to.

http://www.digitpress.com/nava.htm

[AlanD]

Mike,
Unfortunately I can't make the meeting since I have to stay at the base for duty but I certainly wish I could be there. Can't begin to say how much I appreciate you having the meetings and hanging out with the last soul there every time :) It was been quite an opportunity to visit and meet people that share the same addiction I have. Always enjoyable to be there even with the drive :) Thanks, Mike. Good luck with the mail order and heal up soon. Take care,
Alan

[Kid Ice]

The weather forecast looks pretty bad. Will the snow kill NAVA?

the kid

[mikeetler]

The weather forecast looks pretty bad. Will the snow kill NAVA?

the kid

Right now they're saying 3-5 inches, ending by late morning/early afternoon. North of the store, 1-3 inches is what they're calling for, so it may only affect anyone coming from southeast PA and points south of the store.

-Mike

[gamergary]

Grr it better only snow a little otherwise i won't be able to come. :(

[portnoyd]

/me salutes Mr. Etler.

It better snow like 2 flakes, because I must be there. ;)

dave

[Kid Ice]

It looks like the forecast is changing to light snow tomorrow, with the heavy stuff coming Sunday night. Yay!

the kid

[gamergary]

Thank you now what will i bring.

[digitalpress]

That was a good way to close out the last NAVA at the store - many of the old "usuals", a few newbies, and lots of good trades.

So it looks like NAVA will start moving around a bit from here out, which I think is a good thing in some ways - it will raise awareness (or at least attendance) a little by having locations a little more north or a little more south, grabbing the "outliers" (aka lazy people) at least on occasion.

The best part of last night was when Mike literally started dumping his inventory from those big overhead boxes onto the floor near the end of the night. Sure, it lacked the fervor of the "Dig Dug Drop" at CGE, but where else are you gonna get sealed N64 and complete boxed NES games for free like that!?

Mike, thanks for everything again. I have a lot of great memories from your years of hosting this event. :)

[gamergary]

O_O That would have been funny to watch.

[rolenta]

The best part of last night was when Mike literally started dumping his inventory from those big overhead boxes onto the floor near the end of the night.

Darn. I had to leave before that so I could get Patrick Wong to the train station to catch the last train back to NYC. The train was already at the station when we got there!

[mikeetler]

The best part of last night was when Mike literally started dumping his inventory from those big overhead boxes onto the floor near the end of the night. Sure, it lacked the fervor of the "Dig Dug Drop" at CGE, but where else are you gonna get sealed N64 and complete boxed NES games for free like that!?

Damn pain meds. Can't remember a thing after the Percocet/Vicadin/Darvocet cocktail I had yesterday. ;)

A huge thanks to everyone that came out. It definitely lifted my spirits after the last couple of weeks.

-Mike

[TripppsK]

The best part of last night was when Mike literally started dumping his inventory from those big overhead boxes onto the floor near the end of the night. Sure, it lacked the fervor of the "Dig Dug Drop" at CGE, but where else are you gonna get sealed N64 and complete boxed NES games for free like that!?

Its rare times like that when I hate being married with kids and having to leave early (lol). I am fairly new to the NAVA meetings, I enjoyed them and I look forward to their continuation. Just wanted to thank Mike again for all he's done. Good Luck! Long live NAVA!!

[Goblin]

[quote]Its rare times like that when I hate being married with kids and having to leave early (lol). I am fairly new to the NAVA meetings, I enjoyed them and I look forward to their continuation. Just wanted to thank Mike again for all he's done. Good Luck! Long live NAVA!!

I hear you. I too left early, but the finally meeting was fun. It has taken me a few meetings to get to know people and start to feel comfortable at them, but this one was a good one. I look forward to future gatherings in whatever form they might take. Like everyone else, thanks to Mike and the store for being our host.

Before I left I did manage to buy two games I needed: (Worms World Party - DC & Raiden - Lynx) so the meeting was definately worth it from that perspective.

[fergojisan]

I had every intention of going (I even took off work), but getting stuck in the snow in New Jersey was not very appealing (they changed the forecast on me after it was too late). I was very lucky to get in almost at the ground floor with NAVA, and I met a lot of great people and played a lot of great games there. Mike is definitely one of the good guys of this hobby, and I would like to thank him for hosting the meetings and for all the trades that we did over the years. I was able to complete my 5200 collection at NAVA. NAVA is a nice group of people and I hope that we can continue to meet in the future. So thanks to Mike and everyone else for all the great memories, and to Mike, enjoy your new life and get well soon!

Ferg