If you've ever been to Seattle, then chances are you've popped into Pink Gorilla. The store has been running from this location for 17 years now (it's the oldest video game store in the Pacific North-West, apparently) and is something of a tourist attraction for gamers.
Sadly, it's also been the target of crime in recent times, with four robberies taking place in six months alone. Following this spate of break-ins and shoplifting, the store has now had to deal with something potentially even more damaging: armed robbery.
As you can see from the news report below, two of the store's staff were held up at gunpoint by a man who stole a console, Pokémon and Yu Gi Oh cards, and all of the cash that was in the register.
Speaking to Fox, Pink Gorilla salesperson Jordan Carson, said:
It was very casual, he had his hands in his pocket the whole time, it was a subtle motion, but it got the job done. I knew he had a gun.
It pisses me off to get taken advantage of. It's the cost of having something people want and having a good price, sadly it opens you up to thieves and people who would take advantage.
Carson says the alleged robber informed him that the reason he was doing this was because "his brother or someone was in the hospital," and, at that point, says his primary concern was for the safety of his coworker, who was also behind the counter at this point.
"I'm sorry, you have to go through this man, that's really tough that you feel the need to do it," Carson added, seemingly addressing the alleged thief directly, before admitting he was afraid the man could return to the store to strike again.
Pink Gorilla co-owner Cody Spencer – who claims he recognises the individual involved – has taken to Twitter to voice his concerns about the future of the business. "This is our original location," he said in a tweet. "We’ve been there 17 years. It’s a major Seattle tourist attraction. Relocating would be heartbreaking and financially devastating."
He added that he "couldn’t care less about what was lost," and hasn't taken the time to look at the total cost. "I just can’t operate with this type of threat," he also added, before pointing out that the business remains "extremely successful" and that any future change would be one of "logistics".
Police are still searching for the alleged robber.
Have you visited the Pink Gorilla? How would you feel if it had to move location? Let us know with a comment below.