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123-646: The EB Games brand is defunct in the United States & Canada but still operates in Australia and New Zealand. GameStop also operates certain stores under the "EBX" brand. Originally, the operation mainly sold calculators and digital watches. Between 1977 and the mid-1990s, the company expanded to (and later stopped) selling computers, software, and other related items (according to the EB Games employee handbook). Electronics Boutique also operated stores under

246-468: A pogrom . Genoese traders promoted the expansion of the cultivation of white mulberry in the area by the late 14th century, and later introduced innovative silk manufacturing techniques. The city became a centre of mulberry production and was, at least for a time, a major silk-making centre. The Genoese community in Valencia—merchants, artisans and workers—became, along with Seville's, one of

369-532: A semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSh ) with mild winters and hot, dry summers. According to the Siegmund/Frankenberg climate classification, Valencia has a subtropical climate. The average annual temperature of Valencia is 18.6 °C (65.5 °F); 23 °C (73 °F) during the day and 14.2 °C (57.6 °F) at night. In the coldest month, January, the maximum daily temperature typically ranges from 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F),

492-579: A Murcia-centered independent emirate to which Valencia belonged, resisting the Almohads until 1172. During the Almohad rule, the city perhaps had a population of about 20,000. When the city fell to James I of Aragon , the Jewish population constituted about 7 per cent of the total population. In 1238, King James I of Aragon, with an army composed of Aragonese , Catalans , Navarrese, and crusaders from

615-530: A bidding war for the company's purchase, concluding with Barnes & Noble's winning bid of $ 161.5 million. Funco was acquired by Barnes & Noble in June 2000, and was merged with Babbage's to form GameStop in December 2000. In 1985, David R. Pomije established the mail-order company Protectronics, which initially sold Commodore 64 computers, but then transitioned to an eclectic array of consumer goods after

738-411: A combination of cash and Barnes & Noble stock. The following day, Funco's stock price rose even further to $ 20.50 per share. On April 12, Funco gave Electronics Boutique five days to raise its offer before they would accept Barnes & Noble's offer. In response, Electronics Boutique matched Barnes & Noble's offer. On April 26, Barnes & Noble raised its bid to $ 161.5 million, or $ 24.75

861-592: A day) to 308 in July (average around 10 hours of sunshine duration a day). The average temperature of the sea is 14–15 °C (57–59 °F) in winter and 25–26 °C (77–79 °F) in summer. Average annual relative humidity is around 66%. The third largest city in Spain and the 24th most populous municipality in the European Union , Valencia had a population of 809,267 within its administrative limits on

984-629: A handful of English cavalrymen into the city after riding south from Barcelona, captured the nearby fortress at Sagunt , and bluffed the Spanish Bourbon army into withdrawal. The English held the city for 16 months and defeated several attempts to expel them. After the victory of the Bourbons at the Battle of Almansa on 25 April 1707, the English army evacuated Valencia and Philip V ordered

1107-509: A high PE multiple, so we always thought one of the exit strategies would be the sale of the company". Electronics Boutique CEO Joseph Firestone remarked that his company had been "stalking" them for two years, and waited until the stock price was right. Following the announcement, Funco's stock price rose by more than 42% to $ 16.875 per share. On April 5, they received an unsolicited $ 135 million buyout offer from Barnes & Noble subsidiary Babbage's Etc., who offered to pay in either cash or

1230-536: A land area of 134.6 km (52 sq mi) in 2009. The urban area of Valencia extending beyond the administrative city limits has a population of between 1,564,145 and 1,595,000. According to the Valencia city hall and Spanish Ministry of Development , the metropolis within the Horta of Valencia has a population of 1,567,118 in an area of 628.81 km (242.78 sq mi). From 2001 to 2011, there

1353-574: A mail-order company from his house, Pomije made $ 35,000 by March 1989. Sales from then to March 1990 were $ 375,000. In September 1990, a month after Pomije set up a retail outlet next to the company's warehouse, a successful advertising campaign in a daily Minneapolis newspaper resulted in $ 25,000 in sales for Funco within two days. During the Christmas 1990 season, the budding retail chain, which now included two additional stores, made sales of over $ 260,000. On July 2, 1992, Funco reported that it filed

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1476-438: A monthly magazine that includes reviews of new games, which reached a circulation of over 195,000 by March 1999. The magazine was published by Sunrise Publications, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Funco. The company also distributed a mail-order catalog every other month to approximately 60,000 customers who generally lived in geographic areas not served by FuncoLand stores, allowing them to purchase video games and equipment from

1599-715: A number of these chains – particularly the computer software retailers – featured trade-in opportunities for previously played products, Funco never ruled out the possibility of these retailers (many of whom were larger than FuncoLand) moving more aggressively into the used game market and becoming direct competitors. Aside from continuing to compete with smaller companies such as It's About Games and MicroPlay , Funco also competed with video rental shops such as Blockbuster LLC and Hollywood Video , which rented or sold used video games. From fiscal 1991 to fiscal 1993, FuncoLand grew from three retail stores to 56 locations; In its 1993 annual report , Funco attributed this rapid growth to

1722-504: A registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of one million shares of its common stock at $ 5 a share, with plans to use the proceeds from the sold shares to repay short-term debt and finance the opening of other FuncoLand locations. Its initial public offering, which was underwritten by Miller, Johnson & Kuehn Inc., was announced on August 12, 1992. From its initial public offering onward, its stock price rose and peaked at $ 17.75

1845-399: A result of this measure, its third-quarter earnings would fall below analysts' expectations. The next day, its stock plummeted by 46.5% down to $ 5.75 a share. Regardless, they anticipated record sales for the fourth quarter, and stated that it had met its store-opening objectives for the year. On April 6, 1995, the company reported that its fourth-quarter sales dropped 24% from the same period

1968-702: A satellite of the Taifa of Toledo , and following the fall of the latter in 1085, a protectorate of " El Cid ". A revolt erupted in 1092, handing the city to the Almoravids and forcing El Cid to take the city by force in 1094, henceforth establishing his own principality . Following the evacuation of the city in 1102, the Almoravids took control. As the Almoravid empire crumbled in the mid 12th-century, ibn Mardanīsh took control of eastern al-Andalus, creating

2091-546: A share around February 11, 1993 before steadily dropping to $ 8 a share by April 23. Miller, Johnson & Kuehn analyst Steven Hosier acknowledged that Funco's stock was becoming pricey, and attributed the stock's most recent weakness to Sega of America 's April 14 announcement of a joint venture with Time Warner and Tele-Communications Inc. ; their unveiling of the Sega Channel , an interactive cable channel that would allow subscribers to download and sample new Sega games,

2214-456: A share, leaving Electronics Boutique with another five days to respond to the bid. On May 3, Electronics Boutique announced the withdrawal of its bid, and Funco accepted Barnes & Noble's buyout the following day. Electronic Boutique's original definitive agreement with Funco included a breakup fee of $ 3.5 million, the cost of which was covered by Barnes & Noble. Pomije grossed an estimated $ 35 million for his stock and options, and left

2337-450: A share, leaving Electronics Boutique with another five days to respond to the bid. On May 3, Electronics Boutique announced the withdrawal of its bid, and Funco accepted Barnes & Noble's buyout the following day. Electronic Boutique's original definitive agreement with Funco included a breakup fee of $ 3.5 million, the cost of which was covered by Barnes & Noble. In May 2000, in order to unify their company, Electronics Boutique changed

2460-480: A total of $ 519,779 in 1992, Pomije was willing to absorb the loss to ensure the presence of adequate information systems and financial controls that were absent in his previous business failure. By October 22, 1992, there were 29 FuncoLand locations between the Minneapolis, Chicago and Dallas areas, 190 employees within the company and a projection of $ 22 million in sales for the 1993 fiscal year. Pomije projected

2583-454: A total of 110 stores nationwide, 250 employees and sales of $ 63 million by March 1994. On April 6, 1995, Funco announced that Bodine had been promoted to president and chief operating officer, replacing Pomije, who would remain as chairman and chief executive. Hiben was also named chief financial officer, while Hinnenkamp resigned from the company to pursue other career opportunities. In fiscal 1998, Funco launched an e-commerce service named

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2706-847: A year if purchased with a cleaning kit. Pomije compared the chain's policy of trading used games and testing new ones to the practices of the automobile industry, saying "You wouldn't buy a new car without driving it around the block". Company officials preferred to use the term "previously played" in reference to used games, as "used", according to Hiben, carried a connotation of wearing out. Funco's marketing focused primarily on television advertising, with support from newspaper ads and inserts, in-store promotions and direct mail. The company also took advantage of special promotions of major titles in conjunction with game manufacturers; in 1993, promotions of Mortal Kombat , Madden NFL '94 and NBA Jam successfully introduced many consumers to FuncoLand's concept. In 1992, Funco began publishing Game Informer ,

2829-607: Is the Holy Grail . Valencia was selected in 2003 to host the historic America's Cup yacht race, the first European city ever to do so. The 2007 America's Cup matches took place from April to July. On 3 July 2007, Alinghi defeated Team New Zealand to retain the America's Cup. Twenty-two days later, on 25 July 2007, the leaders of the Alinghi syndicate, holder of the America's Cup, officially announced that Valencia would be

2952-614: Is the capital of the province and autonomous community of the same name in Spain. It is the third-most populated municipality in the country, with 807,693 inhabitants within the commune, 1,582,387 inhabitants within the urban area and 2,522,383 inhabitants within the metropolitan region. It is located on the banks of the Turia , on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea . Valencia

3075-611: The Constitution of 1812 and dissolved the two chambers of the Spanish Parliament on 10 May. Thus began six years (1814–1820) of absolutist rule, but the constitution was reinstated during the Trienio Liberal , a period of three years of liberal government in Spain from 1820 to 1823. On King Ferdinand VII's death in 1833, Baldomero Espartero became one of the most ardent defenders of the hereditary rights of

3198-664: The Estació del Nord and the Central and Columbus markets. World War I (1914–1918) greatly affected the Valencian economy, causing the collapse of its citrus exports. The Second Spanish Republic (1931–1939) opened the way for democratic participation and the increased politicisation of citizens, especially in response to the rise of Conservative Front power in 1933. The inevitable march toward civil war and combat in Madrid resulted in

3321-480: The Mediterranean Sea and the Foehn phenomenon, locally known as ponentà . The January average is comparable to temperatures expected for May and September in the major cities of northern Europe. The maximum of precipitation occurs in autumn , coinciding with the time of the year when cold drop ( gota fría ) episodes of heavy rainfall—associated to cut-off low pressure systems at high altitude — are common along

3444-672: The Mediterranean Sea . The city is ranked as a Gamma-level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Its historic centre is one of the largest in Spain, spanning approximately 169 hectares (420 acres). Due to its long history, Valencia has numerous celebrations and traditions, such as the Falles (or Fallas ), which was declared a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest of Spain in 1965 and an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in November 2016. In 2022,

3567-512: The Order of Calatrava , laid siege to Valencia and on 28 September obtained a surrender. Fifty thousand Moors were forced to leave. The city endured serious troubles in the mid-14th century, including the decimation of the population by the Black Death of 1348 and subsequent years of epidemics—as well as a series of wars and riots that followed. In 1391, the Jewish quarter was destroyed in

3690-762: The San Francisco Bay Area , inspiring it to increase the pace of opening new stores by planning to open 40 within 1997. Funco's West Coast expansion continued into fiscal 1998, in which it opened its first Greater Sacramento location on June 28, 1997, as well as eight locations in Seattle . During the same period, the first Greater Cincinnati locations were opened in October 1997, and additional markets were established in Columbus , St. Louis , Indianapolis and Louisville . FuncoLand's 300th location

3813-474: The Taifa of Valencia . It was initially controlled by eunuchs , and then, after 1021, by Abd al-Azîz (a grandson of Almanzor ). Valencia experienced notable urban development in this period. Many Jews lived in Valencia, including the accomplished Jewish poet Solomon ibn Gabirol , who spent his last years in the city. After a damaging offensive by Castilian–Leonese forces towards 1065, the territory became

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3936-598: The far right managing to impose a non-standard acute accent in the e of the Valencian-language name. Valencia is one of the oldest cities in Spain, founded in the Roman period c.  138 BC under the name Valentia Edetanorum . A few centuries later, with the power vacuum left by the demise of the Roman imperial administration, the Catholic Church assumed power in the city, coinciding with

4059-702: The "Old City" (Ciutat Vella) have helped improve the city's livability, and tourism is continually increasing. On 3 July 2006, a major mass transit disaster, the Valencia Metro derailment , left 43 dead and 47 wounded. Days later, on 9 July, the World Day of Families, during Mass at Valencia's Cathedral, Our Lady of the Forsaken Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI used the Sant Calze , a 1st-century Middle-Eastern artifact that some Catholics believe

4182-652: The 15th century, second only to Lisbon in the West, prompting a Lisbon– Seville –Valencia axis by the second half of the century powered by the incipient Portuguese slave trade originating in West Africa . By the end of the 15th century Valencia was one of the largest European cities, being the most populated city in the Hispanic Monarchy and second to Lisbon in the Iberian Peninsula. Following

4305-660: The 16th century, the city's economic activity experienced a crisis upon the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609. The city became a major silk manufacturing centre in the 18th century. During the Spanish Civil War , the city served as the accidental seat of the Spanish Government from 1936 to 1937. The Port of Valencia is the 4th-busiest container port in Europe and the second busiest container port on

4428-433: The 1996 fiscal year, Funco posted a 1.3% increase in revenue, which they attributed to its management's margin improvement initiatives as well as stronger fourth-quarter sales compared to the previous year. After trading at $ 2.62 1 ⁄ 2 per share on January 11, 1996, the company's stock price climbed to $ 14.12 1 ⁄ 2 per share by January 17, 1997. Pomije and industry analysts attributed its revenue growth to

4551-594: The Catholic League or the reformulation of Valencian Carlism , and Valencianism did similarly with organizations such as Valencia Nova or the Unió Valencianista. In the early 20th century, Valencia was an industrialised city. The silk industry had disappeared, but there was a large production of hides and skins, wood, metals, and foodstuffs, the latter with substantial exports, particularly of wine and citrus. Small businesses predominated, but with

4674-613: The Citadel, the Supreme Junta government took over, and on 26–28 June, Napoleon's Marshal Moncey attacked the city with a column of 9,000 French imperial troops in the First Battle of Valencia. He failed to take the city in two assaults and retreated to Madrid. Marshal Suchet began a long siege of the city in October 1811, and after intense bombardment forced it to surrender on 8 January 1812. After Valencian capitulation,

4797-460: The Commodore market dried. While the venture was initially successful, extravagant personal spending and lack of financial, operational and inventory control resulted in a Chapter 7 liquidation around March 1988. Pomije's leftover inventory included 1,100 Nintendo games, which he leased to video stores. To update the inventory, he began buying used games from mail-order businesses across

4920-580: The Dakotas . Around this time, a Japanese company – which operated 330 stores in Japan similar to FuncoLand – inquired about a partnership with them. To gauge the company's interest, Pomije charged $ 10,000 just to read his business plan, but ultimately decided against a partnership. In late 1990, after sales reached $ 50,000, Funco opened two FuncoLand stores in Eden Prairie and Roseville to prepare for

5043-541: The Francoist air force with Nazi German support. By the end of the war, the city had survived 442 bombardments, leaving 2,831 dead and 847 wounded, although it is estimated that the death toll was higher. The Republican government moved to Barcelona on 31 October of that year. On 30 March 1939, Valencia surrendered and Nationalist Spanish troops entered the city. The postwar years were a time of hardship for Valencians. During Franco's regime, speaking or teaching Valencian

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5166-575: The French instituted reforms in Valencia, which became the capital of Spain when the Bonapartist pretender to the throne, José I ( Joseph Bonaparte , Napoleon's elder brother), moved the Court there in the middle of 1812. The disaster of the Battle of Vitoria on 21 June 1813 obliged Suchet to quit Valencia, and the French troops withdrew in July. Ferdinand VII became king after the victorious end of

5289-485: The FuncoLand Superstore; after posting sales of $ 300,000 in its inaugural year, it quadrupled this figure the following year, making $ 1,572,000 in sales. In April 1999, Funco became one of the first companies to offer items for bidding at Amazon 's short-lived Auctions service. On April 15, 1999, Navarre Corporation announced that it had reached an agreement with Funco to distribute consumer software to

5412-585: The Iberian Mediterranean. The Berber threat—initially with Ottoman support—generated great insecurity on the coast, and it would not be substantially reduced until the 1580s. The crisis deepened during the 17th century with the 1609 expulsion of the Moriscos , descendants of the Muslim population that had converted to Christianity. The Spanish government systematically forced Moriscos to leave

5535-660: The Peninsular War, which freed Spain from Napoleonic domination. When he returned on 24 March 1814 from exile in France, the Cortes requested that he respect the liberal Constitution of 1812, which significantly limited royal powers. Ferdinand refused and went to Valencia instead of Madrid. Here, on 17 April, General Elio invited the King to reclaim his absolute rights and put his troops at the King's disposition. The king abolished

5658-574: The Price". FuncoLand employed around 1,500 full-time and part-time employees by November 21, 1999. The chain would recruit temporary part-time employees during seasonal peak periods. All store locations were leased , typically for an initial three-year term and with varying options for renewal. In addition to its retail outlets, Funco leased a 50,000 square foot distribution center and office facility in Eden Prairie, where its corporate headquarters

5781-637: The Roman practice of recognising the valour of former Roman soldiers after a war. The Roman historian Livy explains that the founding of Valentia in the 2nd century BC was due to the settling of the Roman soldiers who fought against a Lusitanian rebel, Viriatus , during the Third Raid of the Lusitanian War . During the period of Islamic rule, the city had the title Medina at-Tarab ('City of Joy') according to one transliteration, or Medina at-Turab ('City of Sands') according to another, since it

5904-573: The Spanish marketplace and continues EB Games's aggressive international expansion. In July 2008, EB Games announced an agreement to acquire The Gamesman, which was the largest independently owned chain of video game stores in New Zealand. On July 28, 2021, EB Games announced that its Canadian operations would be rebranded under the GameStop name, with the rebranding expected to be completed by

6027-535: The U.S. parent, EB retained a 24% ownership stake in the merged chain for a period of time and, under the merger agreement, collected substantial management fees from it until 2004, when the companies agreed to sever the remainder of their ties with a one time settlement. The GAME brand replaced the EB name at all former EB stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The new company was the biggest video game retailer in

6150-501: The US and Canada, was seconded to the UK to manage the chain. Store remodels, product mix changes and used video games combined to restore the chain's finances. Electronics Boutique commenced operations in Australia in 1997 and rapidly became the number one video game specialty retailer in the country and the only one with a nationwide footprint. Although the merger created a company separate from

6273-483: The United Kingdom. However, GameStop is once again operating in Ireland under the GameStop brand. On May 23, 2005, EB Games announced a definitive agreement to acquire Jump, a retailer based in Valencia , Spain that sells PCs and other consumer electronics. EB Games plans to begin introducing video game hardware and software into Jump's 141 stores over the next several months. The acquisition provides EB Games entry into

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6396-472: The United States (including Puerto Rico ), Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, primarily under the names EB Games and Electronics Boutique. On Thursday, October 6, 2005, shareholders from EB Games and GameStop agreed to a $ 1.44 billion takeover deal. The deal offered $ 38.15 in cash as well as approximately ¾ of a share of GameStop stock for every 1 share of EB Games stock. This offer

6519-551: The Valencian Museum of Enlightenment and Modernity (Museo Valenciano de la Ilustracion y la Modernidad) , and the Institute of Modern Art (Institut Valencià d'Art Modern) . The various productions of Santiago Calatrava , a renowned structural engineer, architect, and sculptor and of the architect Félix Candela have contributed to Valencia's international reputation. These public works and the ongoing rehabilitation of

6642-457: The Western mediterranean coast. The year-on-year variability in precipitation may be, however, considerable, as exemplified by large floods in 1957 and 2024 , which both occurred in the month of October. Snowfall almost does not occur at all; the most recent occasion snow accumulated on the ground was on 11 January 1960. Valencia, on average, has around 2,733 sunshine hours per year, from 152 in December (average of 5 hours of sunshine duration

6765-409: The behest of Charles V . Urban and rural delinquency—linked to phenomena such as vagrancy , gambling , larceny , pimping and false begging—as well as the nobiliary banditry consisting of the revenges and rivalries between the aristocratic families flourished in Valencia during the 16th century. Furthermore, North African piracy targeted the whole coastline of the kingdom of Valencia , forcing

6888-421: The city and the creation of a new river bed for the Turia, with the old one becoming one of the city's "green lungs". The economy began to recover in the early 1960s, and the city experienced explosive population growth through immigration spurred by jobs created with the implementation of major urban projects and infrastructure improvements. With the advent of democracy in Spain, the ancient kingdom of Valencia

7011-469: The city became the capital of the Kingdom of Valencia . The city's population thrived in the 15th century, owing to trade with the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, Italian ports, and other Mediterranean locations, becoming one of the largest European cities by the end of the century. Already harmed by the emergence of the Atlantic World trade in detriment to Mediterranean trade in global trade networks, along with insecurity created by Barbary piracy throughout

7134-414: The city was voted the world's top destination for expatriates , based on criteria such as quality of life and affordability. The city was selected as the European Capital of Sport  [ Wikidata ] 2011, the World Design Capital 2022 and the European Green Capital 2024. The Latin name of the city was Valentia ( IPA: [waˈlɛntɪ.a] ), meaning "strength" or "valour", due to

7257-526: The coming Christmas season. They also became a sponsor for Christmas-season broadcasts of Gophers ice hockey games on KITN-TV . By December 1991, Funco had established 10 stores in the Minneapolis market. Pomije attributed the company's success to executives he lured from B. Dalton and Häagen-Dazs who had expertise in expanding into new markets. While these key hires – which include executive vice president Stanley Bodine, MIS director Michael Hinnenkamp and financial controller Robert Hiben – cost Funco

7380-409: The company stated that it planned to open 120 new stores over the next two years. However, an industry-wide slump and a nosedive in the company's stock price resulted in the cancellation of these planned openings, leaving the total number of stores at the end of 1995 at 182. The company experienced renewed prosperity during 1996 and successfully expanded into the West Coast by opening nine stores in

7503-486: The company to enter major metropolitan markets before the arrival of any serious competition. Over time, the video game retailing business grew to include mass merchandisers such as Target, Walmart and Kmart , computer software retailers such as Babbage's Etc. and Electronics Boutique, toy retailers including Toys "R" Us and KB Toys , consumer electronics retailers such as Best Buy and Circuit City, department store chains, and other entertainment product retailers. Because

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7626-442: The company to focus on developing the secondhand golf equipment retailer Second Swing, in which he was a majority shareholder. Barnes & Noble's acquisition of Funco was completed on June 14, 2000, and Babbage's became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Funco thereafter. In November 2000, Funco's Eden Prairie headquarters were phased out, with some functions being moved to the Babbage's headquarters in Dallas; Bodine had also departed

7749-472: The company's e-commerce customers. On April 3, 2000, Funco rival Electronics Boutique Holdings Corp. agreed to purchase them for $ 110 million, paying $ 17.50 in cash for each of Funco's shares. The news of the acquisition was not surprising to analysts, as rumors of an imminent sale had been circulating since the previous summer; according to Bob Evans of the Craig-Hallum Capital Group, "Funco's stock has been depressed for some time, and they never seemed to get

7872-430: The company's headquarters. Funco's e-commerce platform, the FuncoLand Superstore, included schedules for newly arriving games and reviews of new and classic games. Trademarked slogans that were deemed important to the company's marketing efforts include "Experience the Fun at FuncoLand", "Your Source for Interactive Entertainment", "Bring Home the Fun", "America's Place To Shop For Video Games", and "More Video Games at Half

7995-453: The company. Funco and Babbage's were merged to form GameStop in December, and an initial public offering for the new company was completed on February 12, 2002. Many of the stores owned by GameStop continued to operate under the FuncoLand, Babbage's and Software Etc. names until 2003, by which time all stores in major markets were rebranded under the GameStop banner. FuncoLand specialized in selling new and used video games and equipment; it

8118-506: The country. After a couple of encounters with particularly rude dealers, he was inspired to establish another mail-order company named Funco, and began advertising his offer to buy and sell used video games in industry magazines. During the Christmas 1989 season, he needed to install four telephone lines in his house to accommodate his growing business, and recruited his wife, father and uncle as staff members. The number of teenagers and young adults driving to Pomije's house to do business there

8241-425: The death of Ferdinand II in 1516, the nobiliary estate challenged the Crown amid the relative void of power. In 1519, the Taula de Canvis was recreated again, known as Nova Taula . The nobles earned the rejection from the people of Valencia, and the whole kingdom was plunged into the armed Revolt of the Brotherhoods and full-blown civil war between 1521 and 1522. Muslim vassals were forced to convert in 1526 at

8364-411: The early Restoration period —experienced a change, leading to a growth of republican forces , gathered around the emerging figure of Vicente Blasco Ibáñez . Not unlike the equally republican Lerrouxism , the Populist Blasquism  [ es ] came to mobilize the Valencian masses by promoting anticlericalism . Meanwhile, in reaction, the right-wing coalesced around several initiatives such as

8487-403: The end of 2021. Stores began to be converted to GameStop signage by September 2021. FuncoLand FuncoLand was an American video game retailer based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota , that specialized in selling new and used video game software. It is considered the first major video game retailer to allow consumers to sell and trade used video games. The chain's parent company Funco Inc.

8610-471: The end of the political and legal independence of the Kingdom of Valencia . During the War of the Spanish Succession , Valencia sided with the Habsburg ruler of the Holy Roman Empire , Charles of Austria . King Charles of Austria vowed to protect the laws ( Furs ) of the Kingdom of Valencia , which gained him the sympathy of a wide sector of the Valencian population. On 24 January 1706, Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough, 1st Earl of Monmouth , led

8733-411: The exclusivity of Valencia and Barcelona for the celebration of international fairs in Spain. These two cities would hold the monopoly on international fairs for more than three decades, until the rule's abolishment in 1979 by the government of Adolfo Suárez . In October 1957, a flood from the Turia river resulted in 81 casualties and extensive property damage. The disaster led to the remodelling of

8856-756: The first FuncoLand location in McHenry County, Illinois opened in Crystal Lake , bringing its total number of locations to 62. By June 1994, the retailer expanded into the East Coast with locations in the New York, Delaware Valley and Washington–Baltimore areas , making for a total of 117 stores. Locations in Boston , Houston and Kansas City were also established during fiscal 1995. The chain opened 72 additional stores throughout fiscal 1995, and

8979-562: The first waves of the invading Germanic peoples ( Suebi , Vandals , Alans , and later Visigoths ). After the fall of the Western Roman Empire , Valencia became part of the Visigothic Kingdom from 546 to 711 AD. The city surrendered to the invading Moors about 714 AD. Abd al-Rahman I laid waste to old Valencia by 788–789. From then on, the name of Valencia (Arabised as Balansiya ) appears more related to

9102-528: The fortification of sites. By the late 1520s, the intensification of Barbary corsair activity along with domestic conflicts and the emergence of the Atlantic Ocean in detriment of the Mediterranean in global trade networks put an end to the economic splendor of the city. The piracy also paved the way for the ensuing development of Christian piracy, that had Valencia as one of its main bases in

9225-521: The host city for the 33rd America's Cup, held in June 2009. The results of the Valencia municipal elections from 1991 to 2011 delivered a 24-year uninterrupted rule (1991–2015) by the People's Party (PP) and Mayor Rita Barberá , with support from the Valencian Union . Barberá's rule was ousted by left-leaning forces after the 2015 municipal election , with Joan Ribó of Compromís becoming

9348-566: The increasing momentum of the video game industry and the retailer's unique business model, which fended off any direct competitors. FuncoLand stores, which were often located in strip malls , featured sampling areas that allowed consumers to test a video game before its purchase, a practice that Pomije compared to the automobile industry. The retailer's considerable inventory of older titles no longer carried by larger national chain stores sometimes led competing retailers to refer customers to FuncoLand for such purchases. Marketing for FuncoLand included

9471-846: The increasing momentum of the video game industry and the retailer's unique niche and model. The company's first store outside the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area was opened in Dallas in April 1992. On July 13, 1992, it opened the first Chicago-area location in Bloomingdale . On September 22 and 25, 1992, it opened the first south suburban Chicago-area locations in Orland Park and Matteson respectively. FuncoLand opened its first Milwaukee-area store in January 1993. On May 11, 1993,

9594-403: The industry's recovery. In a bid to offset market forces, Pomije cut his $ 180,000 salary in half, Bodine took a 40% cut, and salary increases for other senior officials were frozen. Additionally, the headquarters staff was reduced by 20% to 100 employees, and work schedules were tightened to avoid overstaffing. As a result, general and administrative expenses decreased by 1.5% to $ 1.8 million. For

9717-492: The involved parties negotiated and reached an agreement in principle to settle the suit out of court. A settlement for $ 900,000 minus $ 202,000 in attorney's fees was approved by the court on April 30, 1999. Valencia Valencia ( / v ə ˈ l ɛ n s i ə / və- LEN -see-ə or / v ə ˈ l ɛ n ʃ ( i ) ə / və- LEN -sh(ee-)ə , Spanish: [baˈlenθja] ), officially València ( Valencian : [vaˈlensia] ),

9840-423: The king's daughter, the future Isabella II . During the regency of Maria Cristina , Espartero ruled Spain for two years as its 18th Prime Minister from 16 September 1840 to 21 May 1841. City life in Valencia carried on in a revolutionary climate, with frequent clashes between liberals and republicans. The reign of Isabella II as an adult (1843–1868) was a period of relative stability and growth for Valencia. During

9963-651: The kingdom for Muslim North Africa. They were concentrated in the former Crown of Aragon , and in the Kingdom of Valencia specifically, and constituted roughly a third of the total population. The expulsion caused the financial ruin of some of the Valencian nobility and the bankruptcy of the Taula de canvi in 1613. The decline of the city reached its nadir with the War of the Spanish Succession (1702–1709), marking

10086-532: The lake from the Crown of Spain for 1,072,980 pesetas in 1911, and today it forms the main portion of the Parc Natural de l'Albufera (Albufera Nature Reserve), with a surface area of 21,120 hectares (52,200 acres). Because of its cultural, historical, and ecological value, it was declared a natural park in 1976. Valencia and its metropolitan area have a Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ) bordering on

10209-430: The larger chains. The stores were equipped with several television monitors displaying operating video games, as well as sampling areas that allowed consumers to test games within the store. New games carried a 90-day warranty, which also applied to hardware and accessories. FuncoLand additionally sold cleaning kits for removing oxidation and dust from game cartridges; a game's warranty could be extended from 90 days to

10332-477: The main silk-manufacturing centre in Spain. The Palau de Justícia is an example of the affluence manifested in the most prosperous times of Bourbon rule (1758–1802) during the rule of Charles III. The 18th century was the Age of Enlightenment in Europe, and its humanistic ideals influenced men such as Gregory Maians and Pérez Bayer in Valencia, who maintained correspondence with the leading French and German thinkers of

10455-451: The minimum temperature typically at night ranges from 6 to 10 °C (43 to 50 °F). December, January and February are the coldest months, with average temperatures around 17 °C (63 °F) during the day and 8 °C (46 °F) at night. March is transitional, the temperature often exceeds 20 °C (68 °F), with an average temperature of 19.3 °C (66.7 °F) during the day and 10 °C (50 °F) at night. During

10578-567: The most important in the Iberian Peninsula. In 1407, following the model of the Barcelona's institution created some years before, a Taula de canvi (a municipal public bank) was created in Valencia, although its first iteration yielded limited success. The 15th century was a time of economic expansion, known as the Valencian Golden Age, during which culture and the arts flourished. Concurrent population growth made Valencia

10701-880: The most populous city in the Crown of Aragon. Some of the landmark buildings of the city were built during the Late Middle Ages, including the Serranos Towers , the Silk Exchange , the Miguelete Tower , and the Chapel of the Kings of the Convent of Sant Domènec. In painting and sculpture, Flemish and Italian trends had an influence on Valencian artists. Valencia became a major slave trade centre in

10824-614: The name Games 'n Gadgets . The Games 'n Gadgets stores were more centered on entertainment and gaming, rather than business and productivity. In the mid-1990s, the company's focus switched to TV-based video games and consoles, though many stores still maintain PC game sections. On April 3, 2000, Electronics Boutique made an offer to purchase rival business FuncoLand for $ 110 million, paying $ 17.50 in cash for each of parent company Funco's shares. CEO Joseph Firestone remarked that his company had been "stalking" FuncoLand for two years, and waited until

10947-621: The new mayor. Located on the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and the western part of the Mediterranean Sea , fronting the Gulf of Valencia , Valencia lies on the highly fertile alluvial silts accumulated on the floodplain formed in the lower course of the Turia River . At its founding by the Romans in 138 BC, it stood on an alluvial plain of the Turia River several kilometers from

11070-516: The opening of three stores in Toronto, Ontario , Canada in 1993. The Canadian division was the largest of the international divisions with over 300 stores as of May 2008. In 1995, the company expanded to the UK with the purchase of 25% of the financially troubled British game retailer Rhino Group . The name of the chain was changed from Future Zone to "Electronics Boutique" to match the new owner. John Steinbrecher, Electronic Boutique's VP of Stores in

11193-479: The previous second-quarter's earnings. The company's net income of $ 716,000 was nearly double analysts' estimates. On December 21, 1999, they reported that a "significant softening" of December sales would result in third-quarter sales and earnings falling below analysts' expectations. They attributed this projected decline to a shortage of high-demand products such as the Game Boy Color handheld console and

11316-575: The previous year. As a result, its stock price dropped 16.2% to its then-lowest point of $ 3.87 1 ⁄ 2 per share the following day. They stated that its fourth-quarter results were adversely impacted by comparison against the previous year's strong fourth-quarter video game release of NBA Jam , as well as an industry-wide slump caused by consumers deferring purchases in anticipation of upcoming next-generation video game consoles . The chain declared an intent to focus on increasing sales in existing markets and improving expense controls and margins during

11439-472: The rapid mechanisation of the industry, larger companies were being formed. The best expression of this dynamic was in regional exhibitions, including that of 1909 held next to the pedestrian avenue L'Albereda ( Paseo de la Alameda ), which depicted the progress of agriculture and industry. Among the most architecturally successful buildings of the era were those designed in the Art Nouveau style, such as

11562-545: The relocation of the capital of the Republic to Valencia. After the continuous unsuccessful Francoist offensive on besieged Madrid during the Spanish Civil War , Valencia temporarily became the capital of Republican Spain on 6 November 1936. It hosted the government until 31 October 1937. In the Spanish civil war, Valencia was heavily bombarded by air and sea, mainly by the Fascist Italian air force, as well as

11685-661: The repeal of the Furs of Valencia as punishment for the kingdom's support of Charles of Austria. By the Nueva Planta decrees , the ancient Charters of Valencia were abolished and the city was governed by the Castilian Charter, similarly to other places in the Crown of Aragon. The Valencian economy recovered during the 18th century with the rising manufacture of woven silk and ceramic tiles. The silk industry boomed during this century, with Valencia replacing Toledo as

11808-580: The revitalization of the video game industry brought about by the popularity of the Nintendo 64 , PlayStation and Sega Saturn consoles and related products. Upon the September 1999 United States launch of the Dreamcast console, the retailer set a single-day sales record, and high demand for the console boosted their second-quarter earnings for the 2000 fiscal year to $ 52.7 million, 49.2% higher than

11931-451: The sea. The Albufera lagoon, located about 12 km (7 mi) south of the city proper (and part of the municipality), was originally a saltwater lagoon, but since the severing of links to the sea, it has eventually become a freshwater lagoon, progressively decreasing in size. The lagoon and its environment are used for the cultivation of rice in paddy fields , and for hunting and fishing purposes. The Valencia City Council bought

12054-460: The second half of the 19th century the bourgeoisie encouraged the development of the city and its environs; land-owners were enriched by the introduction of the orange crop and the expansion of vineyards and other crops. This economic boom corresponded with a revival of local traditions and of the Valencian language, which had been ruthlessly suppressed from the time of Philip V. Work to demolish

12177-405: The self-published and ongoing monthly magazine Game Informer , as well as a mail-order catalog and e-commerce platform. Funco endured a downturn in the mid-1990s caused by an industry-wide slump, and in 1995, the company was subject to a shareholder suit accusing it of artificially inflating its stock price by overstating the capacity of its information systems to control the business; the suit

12300-499: The state common law claims with prejudice and dismissed the federal securities claim without prejudice. On January 6, 1997, Cannon filed an amended complaint repeating his previous allegations while asserting various claims under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 , seeking an unspecified amount of damages plus costs and attorney's fees. After Funco and Pomije filed a motion to dismiss the complaint in its entirety,

12423-1069: The stock market does for commodities. During 1990, the names, prices and supplies of games were charted by hand on a whiteboard in the New Hope warehouse; Pomije converted this method to a computerized format in 1991. FuncoLand stores ranged from 1,000 to 3,000 square feet in size, with the average store being approximately 1,650 square feet. The stores typically employed three to five workers apiece and were often located in strip malls , usually near major regional malls and national chain stores such as Toys "R" Us , Target and Best Buy . Each store cost around $ 55,000 to build and stock, and they carried an average of 1,700 items, 10% of which consisted of accessories. The company's total inventory included around 500 million video game cartridges, some of which were rare collector's items no longer sold by their manufacturers. Pomije remarked that competitors such as Toys "R" Us would sometimes refer customers to FuncoLand if they requested older games no longer carried by

12546-509: The stock price was right. On April 5, Funco received an unsolicited $ 135 million buyout offer from Barnes & Noble subsidiary Babbage's Etc., who offered to pay in either cash or a combination of cash and Barnes & Noble stock. On April 12, Funco gave Electronics Boutique five days to raise its offer before they would accept Barnes & Noble's offer. In response, Electronics Boutique matched Barnes & Noble's offer. On April 26, Barnes & Noble raised its bid to $ 161.5 million, or $ 24.75

12669-541: The time. The 19th century began with Spain embroiled in wars with France, Portugal, and England—but the Peninsular War (Spanish War of Independence) most affected the Valencian territories and the capital city. The repercussions of the French Revolution were still felt when Napoleon's armies invaded the Iberian Peninsula. The Valencian people rose up in arms against them on 23 May 1808, inspired by leaders such as Vicent Doménech el Palleter. The mutineers seized

12792-583: The vast majority of its current EB and EB Gameworld stores to the name EB Games. They also announced that they would be either closing or selling all of their EB Kids and Brandywine Sports Collectible Stores. For years EB Games' primary distribution center was in Louisville, Kentucky , with two smaller distribution centers and a World Headquarters all located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. With video games becoming increasingly popular, EB Games decided it

12915-546: The video game Pokémon Yellow , as well as a lack of major title releases for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation compared to the previous year and price-discounting on consoles by competitors. Funco warned that the sales and earnings slowdown would linger until the following fall, when the highly-anticipated PlayStation 2 would be released. On August 17, 1995, a putative class action shareholder suit against Funco, entitled Christopher Cannon v. Funco, Inc. and David R. Pomije ,

13038-535: The walls of the old city started on 20 February 1865. The demolition of the citadel ended after the 1868 Glorious Revolution . During the Cantonal rebellion in 1873, Valencia was the capital of the short-lived Valencian Canton . Following the introduction of universal manhood suffrage in the late 19th century, the political landscape in Valencia—until then consisting of the bipartisanship characteristic of

13161-460: The warmest months – July and August, the maximum temperature during the day typically ranges from 28 to 32 °C (82 to 90 °F), about 21 to 24 °C (70 to 75 °F) at night. The highest and lowest temperatures recorded in the city since 1937 were 44.7 °C (112.5 °F) on 10 August 2023 and −7.2 °C (19.0 °F) on 11 February 1956, respectively. Valencia has one of the mildest winters in Europe, owing to its southern location on

13284-401: The wider area than to the city, which is primarily cited as Madînat al-Turâb ('city of earth' or 'sand') and presumably had diminished importance throughout the period. During the emiral period, the surrounding territory, under the ascendancy of Berber chieftains, was prone to unruliness. In the wake of the start of the fitna of al-Andalus , Valencia became the head of an independent emirate,

13407-525: The word València is an exception to this rule, since è is pronounced [e] . The spelling "València" was approved by the AVL based on tradition after a debate on the matter. The name "València" has been the only official name of the city since 2017. In 2023, the Commission of Culture of the municipal corporation agreed in principle on a dual official denomination Valencia / Valéncia , with

13530-606: Was a 34.2% premium on the $ 41.12 per share closing price of EB Games stock. GameStop decided to close EB Games's newly constructed distribution center in Sadsbury, PA, their call center in Las Vegas, NV , and their International Headquarters in West Chester, PA, eliminating more than 800 jobs. Only 65 former EB Games employees were offered jobs at GameStop's headquarters in Grapevine, TX. EB began its international expansion with

13653-402: Was considered the first major retailer to allow consumers to sell and trade used video games. The used games were often sold for 50% less than new copies, and customers could sell used video games for either money or store credit that could be used to purchase other games. The value of a trade-in varied between 10 cents and $ 55; Funco changed the offered prices for games twice a month, much like

13776-755: Was established as a new autonomous entity, the Valencian Community , the Statute of Autonomy of 1982 designating Valencia as its capital. Valencia has since then experienced a surge in its cultural development, exemplified by exhibitions and performances at such iconic institutions as the Palau de la Música , the Palacio de Congresos , the Metro, the City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències) ,

13899-416: Was established in the home of David R. Pomije in 1988, initially as a leaser of video games to video stores, and then as a mail-order business specializing in used video games. Upon the success of this venture, Pomije moved Funco to a Minneapolis warehouse, and began opening FuncoLand retail outlets nationwide. Following Funco's initial public offering in 1992, the company experienced rapid growth spurred by

14022-545: Was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota . Cannon, purporting to represent a class of all purchasers of Funco's common stock during the period of May 18, 1994 through December 15, 1994, alleged that the company artificially inflated its stock price by overstating the capacity of its information systems to control the business. On October 18, 1996, the court dismissed

14145-427: Was founded as a Roman colony in 138 BC under the name Valentia Edetanorum  [ es ] . After the fall of the Western Roman Empire , Valencia became part of the Visigothic Kingdom from 546 AD and 711 AD. Islamic rule and acculturation ensued in the 8th century, together with the introduction of new irrigation systems and crops. The Aragonese Christian conquest took place in 1238, and so

14268-407: Was interpreted by investors as an impending obsolescence of the retail outlet concept. On December 15, 1994, Funco announced that it would increase promotional spending and aggressive price cuts in response to heavy competition caused by a price war between Circuit City and Best Buy, which influenced retailers such as Musicland and Target to lower the price of new releases. Funco reported that as

14391-622: Was located on the banks of the River Turia. It is not clear if an Arabised variant of the Latin name ( Balansiyya ) was reserved for the wider Taifa of Valencia , or also designated the city. Via gradual phonetic changes, Valentia became Valencia [baˈlenθja] in Spanish and València [vaˈlensia] in Valencian . In Valencian, an e with a grave accent ( è ) indicates [ɛ] in contrast to [e] , but

14514-468: Was located. As the leading purveyor of used video games by 1993, FuncoLand's initial competition was limited primarily to independent shops and smaller regional chains; on the advent of 1993, the company was reported to have no competitors within the Minneapolis and Chicago areas, and one competing firm within Dallas. Funco's head start in establishing its concept and the difficulty in emulating it allowed

14637-506: Was opened in Nashville on November 28, 1998. Other markets opened in fiscal 1999 include Los Angeles , Hampton Roads , Richmond , Austin, San Antonio, Memphis , and Pittsburgh . FuncoLand's final store count at the time of its acquisition was reported at 406. Within the chain's lifespan, Fortune had twice listed it as one of the fastest-growing businesses in America, once in 1994 and again in 1998. After establishing Funco as

14760-552: Was prohibited; in a significant reversal, it is now compulsory for every schoolchild in Valencia. Franco's dictatorship forbade political parties and began a harsh ideological and cultural repression countenanced and sometimes led by the Catholic Church. Franco's regime also executed some leading Valencian intellectuals, such as Juan Peset , rector of University of Valencia . Large groups of them, including Josep Renau and Max Aub , went into exile. In 1943, Franco decreed

14883-473: Was settled out of court in 1999. The fifth generation of video game consoles brought about the company's recovery, and the release of the Dreamcast granted a single-day sales record. Over the course of its lifespan, FuncoLand operated in 406 locations, and was twice listed by Fortune as one of America's fastest-growing businesses. In April 2000, two of Funco's rivals – Electronics Boutique and Babbage's Etc. parent company Barnes & Noble – engaged in

15006-460: Was so great that one of his neighbors was suspicious and called the police. In February 1990, Pomije moved Funco to a warehouse in the Minneapolis suburb of New Hope . In August 1990, he set up a small informal retail shop next to his office, which would be the first FuncoLand location. The following month, he began running an advertisement campaign in a daily Minneapolis newspaper, which attracted customers coming in from as far as Wisconsin and

15129-467: Was time for a new distribution center. In October 2004, EB Games opened its doors to its new 314,000-square-foot (29,200 m) distribution center in Sadsbury Township , Pennsylvania. The world headquarter office in West Chester remained open, however anyone working at the old distribution centers were transferred to the new location. As of July 30, 2001, the company operated 2,280 stores in

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