Glendale store owner restores classic arcade games

GLENDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- One business owner in Glendale has restored vintage arcade games to make gamers nostalgic for their wonder years.

Titles in the Vintage Arcade Superstore include Street Fighter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, NBA Jam, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Centipede.

The store owner, Gene Lewin, has restored and sold vintage pinball and arcade games for the past 40 years.

"There aren't too many people selling these old games anymore. There's a lot of work involved in getting them working and keeping them working," Lewin said.

Lewin and his 12 employees aim to restore the machines to their original conditions as demand for such titles have grown immensely.

"We have some people that want to buy a piece of their childhood. They have a certain game they loved playing when they were a kid," Lewin shared.

Lewin said he sells 20 to 25 games a month to nearby clients and those as far as Japan. The arcade games sell for $2,000 to as much as $7,000 each.

He also admitted to having the most difficult job in the store.

"One of the important things I do is I have to play test every game before they go out to make sure they're working correctly," he said.

Though his store is not an arcade, Lewin insisted anyone wanting to buy and try a machine may enjoy his store.