I’m gonna cut right to the chase: this man is my hero. He’s a software engineer for AOL (alas, his only flaw – for the love of Tron, work for a better browser (i.e. Mozilla)!), who has dreams of becoming a 3d modeler and animator for the movies (or, the ‘talkies’, as my grandmother ardently calls them).
He treks to Shakey’s pizza parlors simply to pay homage to the institution that introduced him to the nigh-utopian world of arcade gaming. He’s single-handedly modeling a 3d, digital version of the now-defunct mall arcade franchise, Time-Out Tunnel. He runs Retro Arcade Radio – a free internet radio station that pays tribute to the late 70’s/early 80’s video arcade scene.
This is all well and good, but all these admirable traits don’t amount to why I have deemed this man my own personal icon. I have exalted Mr. Hirschberg to this status purely because he is the proud owner (or should I say father?) of the single most impressive home video arcade that I (and probably you) have ever come across. He possesses no fewer than sixty-four vintage arcade machines (predominantly from the early 80’s), and has completely transformed his basement into an honest-to-goodness 8-bit time capsule.
But wait… there’s more. His most recent (and certainly most ambitious) endeavor has been to construct an entire BUILDING (on his property, directly adjacent to his home) just to house his more-than-impressive arcade collection. What’s more is, he even updates his blog on an almost daily basis with construction updates.
My hat is off to you, Mr. Hirschberg. I wish I had the passion (and money) that you possess that allows you to achieve your dreams with such unapologetic determination and unwavering focus.
I could go on and on, but I’ll let you get more info straight from the horse’s mouth.
P.S. My father used to be a Shakey’s franchisee in the 80’s, and I too began my love affair with arcade games on a cocktail Pac-Man machine in my father’s parlor. My parents still have quite a bit of Shakey’s memorabilia (chandeliers, chairs, cutting boards, etc.) in their basement to this day. So, Mr. Hirschberg (if you ever read this), as I know you are an avid collector of vintage Shakey’s items, maybe we could arrange a situation where, perhaps, if I provide you with a relic or two from my dad’s old pizzeria in Maine, I might get in a free round or two of Atari Star Wars when you debut your new game building! Just an idea…
