Robert Cross of Ann Arbor, an acquaintance of Clay Harrell's, plays 'Dr. Who.' Cross is considered by some to be the 'resident wizard' at pinball games. / GILLIS BENEDICT/DAILY PRESS & ARGUS
On a rainy Wednesday night in Novi, a select few of Clay Harrell’s friends are ensconced in some of his more than 100 pinball machines dating as far back as the 1930s.
Nearby, Eric VanDommelen is eagerly repairing and polishing a 1995 “Jack Bot” pinball machine.
The identical scene will soon play out in Green Oak Township, where Harrell next month will start moving his massive pinball collection to the vacant Hamburg Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, which he recently purchased.
His project is labeled a “private museum” for local zoning purposes — it is located in a residential district — but will basically be a self-funded hangout for Harrell and his friends willing to pony up a small donation to help offset costs of running the place.
“Nobody’s paid, especially me,” Harrell, 52, said at his Novi rental space.
“A lot of guys buy like ’70s, ’80s cars and they fix them up, or even ’60s cars. This is all a much cleaner hobby,” he added.
At his Novi rental space, whizzing, whirring and ringing sounds, along with the snap of wrist-fueled pinball shots, bounce off the walls.
Harrell occupied the roughly 3,000-square-foot storage area two years ago. It is about half the size of the 6,600-square-foot VFW building in Green Oak, which is located on 10 acres just west of U.S. 23 and south of Winans Lake Road.
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Nearby, Eric VanDommelen is eagerly repairing and polishing a 1995 “Jack Bot” pinball machine.
The identical scene will soon play out in Green Oak Township, where Harrell next month will start moving his massive pinball collection to the vacant Hamburg Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, which he recently purchased.
His project is labeled a “private museum” for local zoning purposes — it is located in a residential district — but will basically be a self-funded hangout for Harrell and his friends willing to pony up a small donation to help offset costs of running the place.
“Nobody’s paid, especially me,” Harrell, 52, said at his Novi rental space.
“A lot of guys buy like ’70s, ’80s cars and they fix them up, or even ’60s cars. This is all a much cleaner hobby,” he added.
At his Novi rental space, whizzing, whirring and ringing sounds, along with the snap of wrist-fueled pinball shots, bounce off the walls.
Harrell occupied the roughly 3,000-square-foot storage area two years ago. It is about half the size of the 6,600-square-foot VFW building in Green Oak, which is located on 10 acres just west of U.S. 23 and south of Winans Lake Road.
Read the rest of the story here
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