Business News
Champion Amusements Plays Games for a Living
By Staff
Feb 2, 2004

     David Shinaver, aka "Mr. Dave," has been collecting and restoring classic stand-up arcade video games and pinball and slot machines as a hobby for many years. According to Shinaver, when people saw his games, they wanted to buy the games and machines. "Finally, my wife, Cheri, convinced me to open a shop and start the business," he remembered.

     That was two years ago when Champion Amusements first opened in the McCord Marketplace. Last October, the shop was relocated to 6503 Monroe St. "This is a great location," Shinaver pointed out. "We are in the heart of downtown Sylvania and highly visible to the heavy traffic traveling on Monroe Street."

     Shinaver said there is ample space to showcase restored equipment along with separate work areas for the different machines.

     "We buy games and machines from a variety of sources all over the country and restore them to nearly new condition using only authentic parts including officially licensed graphics. We find parts to restore this equipment primarily from California, Texas and Georgia," Shinaver noted. He said the licensed side art comes from Georgia, the marquees are found in Texas and control panels are manufactured in California.

     "We buy games and parts of games in all conditions and bring them here to restore to their original condition," Shinaver explained. "We also repair games for individuals in our shop or in their home. We can fix literally anything that goes wrong," he promised. Full time technicians Dave Portnoy and Jesse Weikinger are on staff to honor that promise.

     Also, thanks to the skills of Portnoy and Weikinger, Champion Amusements is one of only a few companies in the country to build the MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) system allowing participants to play up to 3,000 different arcade video games. "This is one of the more modern pieces that is very popular," Shinaver said. "We are constantly adding inventory, though," he added. Shinaver, a registered dealer of gaming devices, pointed out that all of the slot machines in the store are also authentic and have been purchased from American casinos.

     While approximately 40 to 50 video games, pinball and slot machines are on display in the Monroe Street location, another 150 to 200 games are in storage at the company's off-site warehouse.

     "Many people seem to love the original Ms. PacMan video games along with my personal favorite, Galaga," Shinaver said. Customer Todd Kregulka agreed. He is considering buying an arcade video game and has spent many visits to the store to decide which he will ultimately purchase as a holiday gift for his children.

     The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Shane Bell, Kevin Graber and Chris Sargent are also on staff along with three individuals on call to help with delivery. "We offer same-day delivery service," Shinaver said. He has just added a 7-foot by 14-foot box truck to aid with that service. "We feel proper delivery and set up of games is very important," Shinaver cautioned. "People who buy these games on the Internet often spend more money than if they would have purchased them from us. They end calling us to repair and make the games work once they have been delivered."

     Shinaver said he works closely with Chris and Mark Mason of Mason's Billiards on Holland-Sylvania Road . "We offer complementary items and refer customers on a regular basis," Shinaver said.

© Copyright 2003 Business News

 

Arcade games, just like they used to be.

By James Perry

Herald Editor

SYLVANIA- One thing most people over the age of 30 remember is spending time in front of their favorite arcade game. From pinball to video games, and even slot machines with token rewards to be redeemed for a prize that was not much more than a memento, every person had a favorite arcade game. Names like Missile Command, Galaga, Pac Man, Space Invaders, Centipede, Ms. Pac Man, Joust, Tron, and Asteroids come to mind for those who remember. But there is a place where the past is being revived, a place where you can purchase your very own arcade game, or even a combination of many games in one machine.

"Mr. Dave" Shinaver, owner of Champion Amusements, located at 6503 Monroe Street , (next to Joe's Sylvania Tire), is the man to see to make your arcade dreams a reality.

"We restore systems from the ground up and we have nearly every arcade video game anyone would want, and if we do not have it, we will get on for them, or build it," Shinaver said. "We offer same day delivery and a 30-day guarantee for every unit we deliver. We also perform home service calls on everything we sell, and on games people purchase elsewhere."

For Shinaver, it all started over 10 years ago when he began collecting the refurbishing arcade games for his own home.

"Soon, I had collected so many, my wife encouraged me to starts a business so others could enjoy arcade games the way they used to be," Shinaver continues. "There is something about the look and feel of a full-sized arcade game that your television, or computer monitor, cannot bring you. The physical interaction playing a real video arcade game, the challenge, the excitement, it just puts a smile on the faces of the people who play these games, let alone the enjoyment of a trip back to another time."

The beauty of what Champion Amusements does resides in their ability to adapt one arcade cabinet to play multiple games, actually up to three thousand gaming choices, for your very own home.

Dave Portnoy is a technician and restoration specialist for Champion Amusements.

"We have the ability to introduce a MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) system into a cabinet for our customers, showing individuals how to have access to game combinations, from two or three, up to three thousand in one cabinet," Portnoy said. "The MAME system basically adds a ROM card to machines that were hard-wired to play one game, more or less, we are installing a computer into the cabinet that lets you have any number, or combination of games you want."

Another example would be the newly built Ms. Pac Man/Galaga cabinet we have that also includes Donkey Kong.

All of Champion Amusements' restored arcade games, including parts and original artwork, are officially licensed, inside and out.

Shinaver said that restoring arcade games is like restoring a piece of history, or to many, a work of art.

"Games like Tron and Joust are actually works of art, many games, like these two are highly sought after by collectors," he said. "To find and refurbish these games is like restoring treasures from the past. Authenticity is everything to us, we want people to have the same experience we had when we were young, that is what it is all about, creating an authentic arcade experience in your very own home."

All of Champion's arcade games are coin-operated, and can be adapted to free-play. The Las Vegas style slot machines can take quarters or tokens, which can also be purchased through Shinaver.

Champion Amusements has hundreds of arcade games available and is taking orders for Christmas, if they do not have a game you want, they will find one for you and complete any restoration, or modification that you desire to make your arcade gaming experience everything you want. Call 419-882-7700 for more information on obtaining the arcade games you seek.