1/13/2024 0 Comments Best pinball gameEvery pinball machine here has a story with a brief synopsis posted on the wall. He considers himself a docent who will even open up the cabinets to let guests take a look inside when asked. Charlie himself is a walking encyclopedia able to spout off random bits of information about each and every game here. And while it is a little unconventional, it is historical and educational. Since the beginning, people have been challenging Charlie if this place was a real museum or not. "We had really wanted Pioneer Square, but we feel fortunate that we were put here in the International District because it is a neighborhood and it's vibrant," said Cindy. You've got seven days, and the mayor is coming on opening night." To Charlie's surprise, Shunpike agreed with him - "They called us up and said, 'We've got 150 applications, and we picked ten. "'What we want to do is present an art exhibit in a storefront with interactive, connective works of art.' Which is a long way of saying 'A cool pinball museum.'" Please don't hang up on me before I finish the pitch,'" he said. "I called them up and said, 'Hey, I've got this idea. At the time, they were offering artists spaces in Pioneer Square and the International District rent-free for three months in hopes that they could become a viable business. Then in 2009, Charlie found out about a program called Storefront Seattle which was administered by the nonprofit arts organization Shunpike. "If you are a collector, you gotta keep collecting," said Charlie. He then apologized to Charlie for "infecting him with an incurable disease" - the disease of collecting pinball machines. After collecting a dozen or so machines, Charlie tried to sell back a couple of them from the man he bought them from, but the man refused. Soon, the Martins found that they were running out of places to put them all. The 1976 game "Aztec" (created by Williams) was the first of many. "I think we bought our first in 2008," said Charlie. And while you can purchase vintage-styled soda or microbrews here, pinball is pretty much the main draw. Some locations feature alcohol, food, ice cream or are even a traditional arcade. There were only a couple of places in Seattle to play pinball back then, but over the years, there has been somewhat of a resurgence in the Greater Seattle Area. Pinball wasn't all that popular when the Martins set up shop in late August 2010. Boasting 52 different pinball machines (plus a few other vintage video games), the museum doesn't disappoint hardcore pinball wizards. They're not the only game in town, of course, but they are the most respected. He and his wife, Cindy, took down the boarded-up windows and unlocked the front door on July 1 after being shut down for 16 months due to the coronavirus pandemic. That's the message that Charlie Martin, owner of the Seattle Pinball Museum, wants to get out.
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