Propaganda Palace Vintage Video Games

ahh. 1 of my fav spots down here at the local flea market. old school games. So when I’m too lazy 2 go all the way near North Star, this is my 1^st source 4 my Gamecube (PS1 coming soon)

True story (and one I’d only divulge to my esteemed fellow Unilocalers)…
My first husband and I were united by a common love of arcade games. We’d get $ 10 in quarters, go to a local hotel that had a «game corridor» (the precursor of video arcades) and spend many uproarious hours playing Pacman and Q-​Bert.
Then Sega came out with the SD-​1000, and I bought one as a Christmas present for Stan — only to later realize I should have purchased two: a «his» and a «hers», since he hogged the damn thing and wouldn’t let me play!
But *sigh* time marches on. In the nearly 30 years since, my first marriage disintegrated, I lost custody of the Sega (bummer), and grew up. [Well, sort of, anyway… I now do all of my gaming online, and contribute to some 10 or 12 separate forums devoted specifically to online games… but I digress].
I suppose it’s understandable, therefore, why I still have a massive soft spot in my heart for the retro goodies — and why, on my first trip to the Eisenhauer Flea Market, I kept an eye peeled for Suite 36, the home of Propaganda Palace. I needn’t have worried that I’d overlook it: it is a unique space, with every imaginable variety of first– and second-​generation game system — as well as plush versions of the ever-​popular Sonic and Spyro!
The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Owner AJ educated me about Atari Systems marketed under the Sears label (something I hadn’t previously known), and showed me several models of early units that he had in stock. He explained that his passion for retro game systems stems from his childhood: his father was the local rep for the earliest Atari systems, and had a Pong game that he carried around to use as a demo for potential clients. In «off-​duty» hours, though, the Pong game served as a diversion for AJ (just a toddler at that point) and his father.
Most significantly, however, I learned that the name, «Propaganda Palace» was coined in deference to AJ’s love of other media — not merely game systems — and his intention to eventually expand his business to include additional items in his inventory, like movies and music.
That dream will come to fruition when AJ opens his second location, on King’s Court — between El Milagrito and King’s Court Frankfurter Express — in February 2011.
And I — for one — can’t wait to visit the new location!