The World Continues to Get Less Marvelous
January 9, 2017 8:44 AM Subscribe
Marvin Yagoda, founder and proprietor of Detroit area attraction Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum (previously), has died.
Yagoda, a pharmacist by trade, started the Museum as a way to store and display his collection of old and new carnival, fairway, and arcade games and attractions (including one of the Cardiff Giants). It has been called "astounding" by no less an authority than Atlas Obscura. For the last quarter-century, southeast Michigan children (mine included) have dragged their parents to the place or counted down the days and saved their quarters until field trips.
Yagoda, a pharmacist by trade, started the Museum as a way to store and display his collection of old and new carnival, fairway, and arcade games and attractions (including one of the Cardiff Giants). It has been called "astounding" by no less an authority than Atlas Obscura. For the last quarter-century, southeast Michigan children (mine included) have dragged their parents to the place or counted down the days and saved their quarters until field trips.
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posted by Smart Dalek at 9:04 AM on January 9, 2017
posted by Smart Dalek at 9:04 AM on January 9, 2017
Visited the place last year, a wonderful SE Michigan gem. Condolences to his family
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:17 AM on January 9, 2017
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:17 AM on January 9, 2017
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I love that place. Marvin was a good person, too. He was friendly and quirky and kind.
posted by custardfairy at 9:50 AM on January 9, 2017
I love that place. Marvin was a good person, too. He was friendly and quirky and kind.
posted by custardfairy at 9:50 AM on January 9, 2017
First heard of Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum through the Tally Hall album of the same name. Seemed like a beautiful and strange place, to inspire such an album.
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posted by brecc at 10:07 AM on January 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
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posted by brecc at 10:07 AM on January 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
Known coast to coast, like butter and toast!
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posted by Itaxpica at 12:16 PM on January 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
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posted by Itaxpica at 12:16 PM on January 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
Would have loved to see the site proper, but it triggered 9 kinds of hell from my security. Wonder what happened there. The Atlas Obscura page convinced me I would have to move in there.
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posted by Samizdata at 12:18 PM on January 9, 2017
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posted by Samizdata at 12:18 PM on January 9, 2017
Tally Hall (the aforementioned band) wrote this on Facebook:
Marvin Yagoda died last night.
Marvin, a pharmacist by day, was the founder of Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. If it hadn’t been for Marvin, our band probably wouldn’t have been called Tally Hall.
Tally Hall was a unique food court/minimall in metro Detroit that closed in the late 80s. Among the shops and restaurants jam-packed into the pavilion at Hunter’s Square (Incredible Spud, Honey Tree, Sports Collectibles, Anita’s Kitchen, Tally Cards & Gifts, Nellie’s 1900) were Marvin’s pieces.
His machines and curiosities lent Tally Hall its mystique; they ran the gamut from charming/funny to romantic to macabre/haunting, sometimes simultaneously.
When we approached Mr. Yagoda with the idea of naming our first album for his place, he seemed to intuit the vision, and he helped however he could– he gave us quarters to learn about his machines, he gave us permission to photograph and videotape his astounding place (its depth of character impossible to capture, ironically, with machines, or with these words), and he graciously agreed to appear in a full episode of our Internet Show as the subject of a mini-documentary, welcoming us into his (comparably eccentric) home, spouting anecdotes, some of which were not featured in the episode.
Marvin introduced us to Detroit’s Theatre Bizarre, where we produced our “Two Wuv” episode of Tally Hall’s Internet Show. It was after midnight, it was freezing, and we were outdoors in our uniforms making an onstage video (which, uh, was not featured in the episode) for the song. Marvin dropped by and surprised us with White Castle, making our night.
Mr. Yagoda was a family man, an artist, a collector who understood both function and form, curator of a newfangled electric circus, a crystal ball floating in space, elusive and abstract, real as the American Dream. The guy, like his place, emanated paradox:
“Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all took nonsense more seriously?” – Marvin
“Don’t use time or words carelessly; neither can be retrieved.” – Marvin
Rest in peace, friend. It has been an honor.
– Tally Hall –
RC, RF, JH, AH, ZS
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum is much more than an arcade: http://marvin3m.com
posted by Itaxpica at 5:29 PM on January 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
Marvin Yagoda died last night.
Marvin, a pharmacist by day, was the founder of Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. If it hadn’t been for Marvin, our band probably wouldn’t have been called Tally Hall.
Tally Hall was a unique food court/minimall in metro Detroit that closed in the late 80s. Among the shops and restaurants jam-packed into the pavilion at Hunter’s Square (Incredible Spud, Honey Tree, Sports Collectibles, Anita’s Kitchen, Tally Cards & Gifts, Nellie’s 1900) were Marvin’s pieces.
His machines and curiosities lent Tally Hall its mystique; they ran the gamut from charming/funny to romantic to macabre/haunting, sometimes simultaneously.
When we approached Mr. Yagoda with the idea of naming our first album for his place, he seemed to intuit the vision, and he helped however he could– he gave us quarters to learn about his machines, he gave us permission to photograph and videotape his astounding place (its depth of character impossible to capture, ironically, with machines, or with these words), and he graciously agreed to appear in a full episode of our Internet Show as the subject of a mini-documentary, welcoming us into his (comparably eccentric) home, spouting anecdotes, some of which were not featured in the episode.
Marvin introduced us to Detroit’s Theatre Bizarre, where we produced our “Two Wuv” episode of Tally Hall’s Internet Show. It was after midnight, it was freezing, and we were outdoors in our uniforms making an onstage video (which, uh, was not featured in the episode) for the song. Marvin dropped by and surprised us with White Castle, making our night.
Mr. Yagoda was a family man, an artist, a collector who understood both function and form, curator of a newfangled electric circus, a crystal ball floating in space, elusive and abstract, real as the American Dream. The guy, like his place, emanated paradox:
“Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all took nonsense more seriously?” – Marvin
“Don’t use time or words carelessly; neither can be retrieved.” – Marvin
Rest in peace, friend. It has been an honor.
– Tally Hall –
RC, RF, JH, AH, ZS
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum is much more than an arcade: http://marvin3m.com
posted by Itaxpica at 5:29 PM on January 9, 2017 [4 favorites]
Thought it might be ol' Marvin Marvin of the Partie Party, another SE Michigan fixture of a less wholesome kind. But no, he's still kicking.
posted by BinGregory at 11:58 PM on January 9, 2017
posted by BinGregory at 11:58 PM on January 9, 2017
So many of these pieces, you will never have another opportunity to ever see again. Absolutely one of a kind, that man.
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posted by Theta States at 5:45 AM on January 10, 2017
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posted by Theta States at 5:45 AM on January 10, 2017
19:30 gameplay video
shorter game tour
interview
posted by Theta States at 5:47 AM on January 10, 2017
shorter game tour
interview
posted by Theta States at 5:47 AM on January 10, 2017
One of a kind place for sure. What an amazing eclectic range of stuff there. Hope someone is going to keep it going.
posted by videotopia at 11:02 AM on January 21, 2017
posted by videotopia at 11:02 AM on January 21, 2017
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I'm sorry to hear about the founder's death. I do hope the museum will stay open.
posted by INFJ at 9:04 AM on January 9, 2017