Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum

Last updated
Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum Logo.png
Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
Location31005 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S.
Coordinates 42°31′31″N83°21′42″W / 42.5253°N 83.3618°W / 42.5253; -83.3618
Collections Arcade games
Animatronics
Memorabilia
FounderMarvin Yagoda
OwnerJeremy Yagoda
Public transit accessAiga bus trans.svg SMART 405, 851
Website www.marvin3m.com

Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum is an arcade and museum currently located in Farmington Hills, Michigan. [1] [2] It features a large collection of vintage arcade games and other coin-operated entertainment machines, most of which are functional and can be operated by visitors. [3] Exhibits include, for example, the gypsy Fortune teller machine that used to feature in many carnival sideshows. [4]

Contents

As of January 2025, Marvin's is temporarily closed for relocation; it is expected to reopen in its new location in West Bloomfield, Michigan in the summer of 2025. [5]

History

Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Emporium was founded by Marvin Yagoda, a pharmacist who collected, restored, and sold antique arcade machines. [6] Yagoda initially housed his collections in his garage, but at the suggestion of his wife, he installed some of his machines in the food court of the Tally Hall shopping center in Farmington Hills, Michigan in the early 1980s. He later rented a space in the mall until it closed in 1988; [7] and reopened after it was rebuilt as Orchard Lake Plaza (now known as Hunter's Square) in 1990. [8] [9] [10]

Yagoda became a recognized expert in the field of mechanical and electrical game apparatus; he has been involved in appraisal of such items for the television series American Pickers . [11] [12] He died on January 8, 2017, at the age of 78, [13] after which his son, Jeremy, assumed control of the museum. [14]

Relocation

In November 2023, RPT Realty, then-owner of Hunter's Square, proposed a major redevelopment of the center, which would involve demolishing its northern building, including Marvin's, to construct a Meijer Grocery store. [15] Jeremy Yagoda vowed to fight "tooth and nail" against the proposal, [15] and an online petition opposing the plan gathered more than 50,000 signatures on Change.org. [16] The redevelopment plan was unanimously approved by the Farmington Hills Planning Commission during its November 16, 2023 meeting, at which dozens of supporters of the museum spoke in opposition to the plan. [17] [18]

The Farmington Hills City Council unanimously approved the redevelopment plan on February 12, 2024. [16] Yagoda stated that he would continue discussions with RPT to remain at Hunter's Square as part of its redevelopment, or seek a new location for the museum. [19] RPT sold the center to a local developer in April 2024. [20]

Yagoda announced in December 2024 that the museum had secured a new location at the Orchard Mall, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the north in neighboring West Bloomfield. [21] The new space has an area of 14,000 square feet (1,300.6 m2), more than double the size of the museum's current 5,500-square-foot (510 m2) space. [22] The Hunter's Square location closed permanently on January 5, 2025, and Yagoda expects to reopen in the new location in the summer of 2025. [5]

Collection

Among the collection is P. T. Barnum's replica of the Cardiff Giant, [23] [24] one of Sing Sing Prison's electric chairs in which 30 people died, [25] and an automaton "food inspector" set up to continuously vomit into a pile of milk bottles. [26] There are also various modern coin-op arcade games, and a prize counter to exchange tickets. The museum also hosts a collection of Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre animatronics with a complete set of the Pizza Time Players (excluding Chuck E.) with one of the guest stars Madame Oink and the clapper board. [27]

In 2005, Tally Hall, a band from nearby Ann Arbor, titled an album after the museum. [28]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Daldin, Tom (2015-05-02). "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". Under The Radar Michigan.
  2. ↑ "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". Pure Michigan. Michigan Economic Development Corporation. 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  3. ↑ Semion, Bill (2000). Fun with the Family in Michigan: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids (6th ed.). Globe Pequot. pp. 59 of 352. ISBN   978-0762708086.
  4. ↑ "Modern Marvels: Coin Operated Plus | HISTORY". play.history.com. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  5. 1 2 Mackay, Hannah (2025-01-04). "Fans pack Marvelous Marvin's arcade for the last time before big move". The Detroit News . Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  6. ↑ Godfrey, Linda S.; Moran, Mark; Sceurman, Mark (2006). Weird Michigan: Your Travel Guide to Michigan's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets (hardcover). New York: Sterling Publishing. ISBN   978-1402739071 . Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  7. ↑ Johncox, Cassidy (2024-02-14). "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum: We are moving, not closing". WDIV-TV .
  8. ↑ Reinhart, Max. "Marvin's is moving: Beloved arcade finds a new home in West Bloomfield Twp". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2025-01-02.
  9. ↑ Pramik, Wendy (2022-01-28). "Find a hidden treasure of thrills at Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in suburban Detroit". The Plain Dealer .
  10. ↑ Keenan, Tim (2023-02-21). "Sensory Overload". DBusiness Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  11. ↑ Marvin Yagoda (2008). "1972 Nutting Associates Computer Space". Archived from the original on January 30, 2009.
  12. ↑ Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum spot on American Pickers television show
  13. ↑ Wisely, John (9 Jan 2017). "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum founder dies". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  14. ↑ Kornacki, Steve (2022-09-24). "Wanderer Series: Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum offers a collection unlike any other". The Blade . Archived from the original on 2022-09-24.
  15. 1 2 "Fans of beloved Farmington Hills arcade worry about impact of proposed shopping project". The Detroit News . 2023-11-15.
  16. 1 2 Witsil, Frank (2024-02-13). "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum in Farmington Hills must find a new home". Detroit Free Press .
  17. ↑ "Planning Commission Meeting" (Video). City of Farmington Hills. 2023-11-16 – via YouTube.
  18. ↑ Aimery, Jakkar; Mackay, Hannah (2023-11-16). "Planning Commission recommends development plans for site of beloved Farmington Hills arcade". The Detroit News . Retrieved 2025-01-02.
  19. ↑ Burgio, Alysia (2024-08-12). "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum inches closer to locking down new location". CBS News Detroit .
  20. ↑ Pinho, Kirk (2024-04-18). "Marvin's new landlord wants it to stay — but arcade owner doesn't like his chances". Crain's Detroit Business . Archived from the original on 2024-04-18.
  21. ↑ Laytner, Bill (2024-12-10). "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum moving to West Bloomfield Township". Detroit Free Press . Retrieved 2025-01-02.
  22. ↑ Reinhart, Max (2024-12-09). "Marvin's is moving: Beloved arcade finds a new home in West Bloomfield Twp". The Detroit News .
  23. ↑ "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". RoadsideAmerica.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  24. ↑ Nicklell, Joe (May–June 2009), "Cardiff's Giant Hoax", Skeptical Inquirer , 33 (3)
  25. ↑ Faraci, Devin (December 16, 2011). "Hit The Road: Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". badassdigest.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum". Atlas Obscura . Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  27. ↑ Pizza Time Theatre Animatronics at Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum , retrieved 2023-04-09
  28. ↑ "Tally Hall Say 'Good Day' to America; 'MARVIN'S MARVELOUS MECHANICAL MUSEUM' Set for April 1, 2008 Release". Top40-Charts.com. Retrieved 2023-11-21.

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