Good places to buy classic games in a 50mi radius of detroit...

[outofkeyslightly]

Michigan seems to be sadly overrun with nothing more than a plague of gamestops. Flipside in Clawson is all right, and I've been to the Gibraltar trade center in Mt. Clemons recently, but there doesn't seem to be any where else to shop around here, besides maybe the Taylor Gibraltar, or maybe the Dixieland fleamarket in Pontiac. I'm looking for Genesis games in particular, but I'm willing to look around, heh. Someone posted a thread about this almost five years ago, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I think The Game Spot on Ford rd. closed. Hmmm...

[ProgrammingAce]

There's a decent used game store that sells everything from the 2600 on up near dixieland in the Summitplace mall. It's called the toy box. Prices aren't great, but it's the only one i know of.

[SONIKtheHEDGEHOG]

How much are you looking to spend.. I know a guy (a reseller) I buy games off every once in a while... He's in Lincoln Park he seems to have a lot of stuff... He use to have a booth at Gibraltar or some other place and does flea markets (that's how I met him) every once in a while... His prices aren't amazing but reasonable... He usually has a list of everything he has with prices.. I could give you his email if you want it... He might have some stuff you are looking for...

As far as shops I haven't seen any that aren't ridiculous with there prices 30-40% more then you would pay on ebay...

[outofkeyslightly]

Thanks, I haven't tried that Toybox place. I live in Ypsilanti, but my parents are in auburn hills, so I don't mind driving around. I'd appreciate the email address if you wouldn't mind. It seems like the average for common genesis games on ebay is about $3-5 with shipping, if you buy a few, so I wouldn't mind spending a little more just to avoid the hassle.

I didn't mention the thrift stores in the area, but it seems that everything thrift is so hit or miss, I'm content just to look around here. I did score Contra: Hard Corps for $5 complete at a thrift store in Adrian, but I just happened to be there with the gf, not like I was on a shopping quest. I usually can't find anything besides random sports games needless to say...

[ubersaurus]

There's a store called "Get your Game On" in ann arbor. Not very good prices, but a decent selection.

The Trade Center in Taylor is drying up. Only one booth seems to still sell any old games, and they don't appear to get in any new stock. Didn't know about Toybox though, I'll have to check them out if I'm ever up in Pontiac.

I don't know, it's very weird. We must be the only major metropolitan area without any dedicated classic game stores.

[Sega Hitman]

I wouldn't drive too far out of the way to go to Toybox. There are occasional deals to be had, but from what I remember, $5-15 for NES and SNES commons is what you're going to see for the most part. You might get lucky on him not pricing obscure stuff correctly though. The guy used to be at Dixieland, he's in his 60's, and he prices everything by using "ebay". Kinda hard to get a deal from somebody who's that out of touch.

Dixieland is okay, but you have to be physically standing at the booth that gets stuff traded in or you'll never find anything. The stuff that sits around in everybody's showcases is overpriced trash. For dvd's though, dixieland is pretty sweet.

[outofkeyslightly]

Thanks for the email sonik, and thank you for the fleamarket tips uber and hitman.

I've been to Get your game on in A2, but it's not really all that exciting. More like an understocked ebgames circa 2002, with more ps2 crap. There's a very small shop inside Eastern Michigan's student center, but they're so overpriced and understocked it's barely worth mentioning. How about pawn shops? Secret flea markets? Are Michiganders stuck paying the ebay premium?

[coreycorey2000]

Apparently I'm 98.64 miles away from you. I traded for 300+ Genesis games in your area a couple years ago. Now I have atleast 800 Genesis games (most complete). I'm a little further away than what you were asking for. But I think I have enough to make it worth your trip. I'm even open to trades.

[jeffg]

If you want to make a day trip, I would take 94 across to Paw Paw on the other side of K-Zoo

There is a game store there on the main road in paw paw and they have a boatload of stuff. before I moved to Texas I went there a few times. He has great stuff, lots of boxed nes, snes, etc.

Some stuff he has cheap, some stuff about ebay prices. I did get 2 copies of Xmas Nights for saturn in sleeve for $2 each as he said they were just demo discs.

[TurboGenesis]

The Detroit area has become pretty dry the past few years. There used to be the Game Spot down the street from my home but they closed and moved to Georgia and are now Waba Game.

Some places to check:

Masquerade in Eastpoint. It is on 10 Mile Rd. just west of I-94 about a ½ from the freeway.

There is also Time Travelers in Berkley on 12 Mile Road. This shop sells comics, toys, and games. Their toy prices are high but some good prices can be found on video games. They sell from Atari to current generation.

EDIT:
I forget there is another shop down the road from me in Inkster -- Game Time.
However they do not have the best selection and prices can be questionable. I did get a loose Out Run for Genesis for $5 recently and also a used Wii Controller for $24. Inkster is a more rough area but it is not as bad as some have made it to be. Game Time is on Inkster Rd. just south of Cherry Hill. Heh if you go there come by my home and say hello :P

[ubersaurus]

Thanks for the email sonik, and thank you for the fleamarket tips uber and hitman.

I've been to Get your game on in A2, but it's not really all that exciting. More like an understocked ebgames circa 2002, with more ps2 crap. There's a very small shop inside Eastern Michigan's student center, but they're so overpriced and understocked it's barely worth mentioning. How about pawn shops? Secret flea markets? Are Michiganders stuck paying the ebay premium?

I've seen a flea market pop up in Romulus on I think Middlebelt, near the airport. They had a lot of games there...but I don't know if they're a year round deal, or just here and there. Not many reasons to go out that way :P

But we've pretty much gotten screwed on game stores the past few years. Time was I could find old games at the trade center, imports at the Gamestation back when it was around, and overpriced stuff at Gamespot. Even the EBs and Gamestops were good, since there were so many, and they all stocked classic games. Now it's all Gamestops...that stock crap.

[tkusina]

the detroit area just sucks for game shops. One place that is by far the best place and has a good selection of hard to find games is Game Quest in Chesterfield (outside of Utica). I think the crossroads are Gratiot and 21 Mile Road.

Has pretty much everything from atari on. I have found some really good deals here and find alot of rarer stuff here. Prices are very reasonable in most cases.

He has alot of sales too, like just recently he had buy one get one free new PS2 games. Picked up Metal Slug Anthology and God of War 2 for $40. And usually has buy 3 nes get 2 free sales. Lots of systems and he can get about any packaging you can want (boxes, manuals for older systems) cheap.

I hit there once a month (about a 45 minute drive for me) and the stock is different enough to justify the trip.

Also, there is a flea market at 8 mile and Dequindre. Single booth there and most of it is ok but sometimes i might walk out with 1 or 2 things.

Also, in the summer there is FreedomHill in Sterling Hegihts and an outside flea market on Middlebelt by the airport (dont know the name or cross roads).


Try this too: http://www.fleamarketguide.com/Michigan/MI/Default.aspx


i have this one thrift shop i hit every week that is pure gold. just recently i picked up blast lacrosse(mint) for $3, a gamcube for $10, boxed Mario Bros., complete Ultima Quest of Avatar, complete Dragon Warrior, loose Snow Brothers for $3 a piece. Sorry, but i am keeping this one to myself. :)

[outofkeyslightly]

Thank you corey, I just sent you a message.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm definitely going to hit up Game Quest the next time I'm out that way. Game time might be worth a visit too. I can't remember the last time I was in K-zoo, I mostly stay toward the east side.

As far as michigan not having any good video game stores, I grew up in Auburn Hills, so most of my shopping was done in the oakland county area, and I don't think any store ever stood out to me in the area. The original Funcoland that opened on Rochester rd. didn't start off completely evil, or at but that was due to the fact that it was new and there weren't 2000 of them within ten squares miles. If there wasn't a really good game store I've ever frequented, than at least at some point pre-2003 there at least seemed to be a better selection at a multitude of random places. Now it used games sales in michigan seem to be either Gamestop, a niche, or a fluke. EB games before they closed were also at least marginally better than gamestop, and had a better selection of older stuff. I did manage to score a new boxed nomad for $60 at the summit place eb many moons ago when it was on clearance or something. The clerk said he'd just sold the last cdx a week ago. Ha! I think I was 14 or 15 so I had to get a ride, and part of the purchase was funded by change...

[esquire]

We must be the only major metropolitan area without any dedicated classic game stores.

Perhaps we should open a DP franchise store here?

[outofkeyslightly]

Well it definitely seems like the area could use one...

[spoon]

I used to Live in MI. Adrian to be exact. Actually graduated HS there. With that said, there really isn't much in the area. If there has ever been an area that needs a retro store, MI is it. I'd like to open a store in the Ann Arbor area someday. Dp North store sounds like a good name ;)

If you are in Adrian there is a store in the mall called Game Frenzy. The same guy sometimes has a store opened downtown called Music express. It's next to the tattoo shop on the same road as the library. I used to hangout with the owner work at the one downtown years ago. I also got some deals from time to time at the Goodwill.

Also, in Grand Rapids there used to be a store called ViDiOTS. They had a huge selection. I dunno if it is still around as I went there six years or so ago. Phone # 616 235 GAME.

And, If you are ever in Toledo on a weekend, we have a decent amount of places to pick up games. I'd have no problem with you tagging along on a bi-weekly run.

[outofkeyslightly]

I never thought of checking Toledo, but that would be the 2nd closest metropolitan area... And it was the Adrian Goodwill that I scored Contra at, for the record, so apparently somebody has a stash of games. I also passed up on buying a leisure suit larry set of games for the pc at the reuse center, but hey. My fiancee graduated from Adrian college, but she grew up in Dearborn. There's like a 2:1 ratio between churches and people in Adrian, it would seem. Their Taco Bell is one of the best I've ever been too though, oddly enough...

I agree, if ever there was to be a good place for a good retro games store, Ann Arbor would be it. Good college/HS population, tech savvy, money to burn, etc... Time to apply for a small business loan. This whole topic started because I'd searched google probably five times for video games stores in detroit/annarbor/ypsi/dearborn/etc with no such luck, unless you count gamestop... Fuck man, the Record Exchange in Ann Arbor used to be at least adequate for used games, and even that's long gone, along with the ferndale location... This just in, michigan sucks.

Has anyone besides me noticed the Gibraltar site has a link on their mailing list sign-up to be notified in the event of a video game expo? ( http://www.gibraltartrade.com/Michigan_Show_Expo_Events.html ) Have they ever had one?

[schnuth]

I never thought of checking Toledo, but that would be the 2nd closest metropolitan area...

Toledo used to be great for games a few years ago, but I barely find anything at the thrifts anymore. Allied Record Exchange sometimes gets good stuff, but they use eBay as a price guide. But occasionally you'll get lucky and something will get past their radar.

Aaron

[spoon]

schnuth is pretty much right on. Allied used to be great untill they started checking ebay. Stuff does still get past their radar though. Sometimes I go once a week, at least twice a week. The more you go, the luckier you'll be.

As little as two years back, almost everything retro was super cheap at Allied. I remember five six years ago when it seemed I was the only one hitting them up. Now, sometimes I have to wait for people to get the hell out of my way to see what they have. Not a bid deal as those people are usually buying over priced NES/SNES/N64 games anyhow.

Also, I hate the fact they write on their N64 games.

All in all I have decent luck. Depends what you are looking for. I get a lot of my trade stuff at Allied.

Thrifts around here have never been that great for me. Pawn shops have actually been decent though.

Not sure if you collected back when Gamestop/EB was still carrying older stuff, but, it was a haven. There were about five or six back in the day. There are something like nine now.