Inside THE VENUE // Redemption Lessons
LEARNING WHAT WORKS A NEWCOMER'S REDEMPTION STRATEGY By Stephanie Davis
W
hen Jessie Nieves became attractions manager at The GAB Spot in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, his entertainment-industry résumé was impressively short.
The GAB Spot typically has two employees working redemption and one or two game attendants. Managers regularly walk the floor, checking machines, watching guests, and stepping in when they can improve the experience. Nieves also wants employees to know the games themselves, so each team member receives 10 to 15 free plays every week. “I tell them to go play and figure out what you like and don’t like about each game,” he says. That firsthand experience helps employees answer questions, recommend games, and recognize quickly when something isn’t working properly. FINDING WHAT SELLS That watch-and-adjust approach extends to merchandise. “I never expected the Pokémon graded cards to be so popular,” Nieves says. “I can’t keep them in stock.” He now orders them by the case, while the center goes through an estimated 500 to 700 small ducks each week. Nieves also created a collector’s area, expanding the traditional redemption mix with Pokémon products, squishies, collectibles, and higher-end prizes, including autographed jerseys displayed in a shadow box. Guests responded quickly. Pokémon cards lasted only about two days, and a mystery autographed jersey was gone just as fast. That response has encouraged Nieves to keep experimenting with collectible merchandise. New merchandise becomes marketing, too. Younger employees create reels, TikToks, and videos around unboxing prizes. In one reel, an employee asks the chef for cheese and receives a cheese squishy, then requests a pickle and receives a giant plush version. The fun draws attention to merchandise while giving Nieves another way to see what catches people’s interest. STILL LEARNING Four months in, Nieves still considers himself a student of the business. His advice to other operators is to take some risks, keep egos in check, and admit when something doesn’t work, then learn from it and move on wiser. “Change is not your enemy,” he says. That may be the biggest lesson behind The GAB Spot’s early redemption success. Expert advice helped them start. Paying attention to their own guests is helping them figure out where to go next.
Before the 20,000-square-foot FEC opened May 4, Nieves had spent nearly 20 years in the Air Force, maintaining aircraft and managing large teams. His brother Jason, who owns the business with his wife, Melissa, had served 24 years in the military. Neither brother had operated a bowling or entertainment center, so they spent four years attending industry events, meeting vendors, and learning before opening their center. Then guests arrived, and the real education began. From May through mid-August, the arcade generated as much revenue each day as all the center’s other attractions combined. For two newcomers, it was an early sign that what they had learned and how quickly they were willing to adapt were paying off. STARTING WITH A PLAN The GAB Spot packs more than 50 arcade games alongside bowling, duckpin, axe throwing, a restaurant bar, and a gelato bar. Redemption was part of the plan from the beginning, and the family leaned on Redemption Plus to establish the initial merchandise mix, displays, and layout. And Nieves recalls thinking, “We’ll start with what the experts recommend, then make changes as we learn and evolve.” Within a week, Nieves began developing ideas based on guests' responses. By July, he was working with Redemption Plus on updated planograms and adjusting about 50 square feet of display space. With just three five-foot displays and a wall for redemption, Nieves has to be selective. Merchandise turns quickly, and limited storage means inventory is tucked throughout the center. “What works two streets down from me might not work for me,” Nieves says. Guided by industry partners, data and guest response, he isn’t afraid to experiment. “This isn’t aircraft maintenance, where a mistake can have serious consequences. We can try different things, and if something doesn’t work, we adjust and try something else.” BRINGING STAFF IN Promotions such as half-price Wednesdays and a Sunday bowling package that includes four arcade cards help drive play, but Nieves also puts considerable effort into what happens once guests are in the arcade.
IBI magazine // November 2026 30
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