Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum won’t be opening in Bloomfield Township in May after all.In a just plain sad Facebook post, it was announced that the museum featuring vintage arcade games and more at 6421 Orchard Lake Road in the Orchard Mall would not open by the end of this month as previously expected due to plumbing and new card system issues.
“They will need to trench the cement to fix this,” the post read. “Things like this happen when going into a mall that has been around a while and had restaurants which may pour things in the drain they shouldn’t. Our landlord is AMAZING and doing all they can to help resolve this ASAP.”
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum was created by the late Marvin Yagoda and had a longtime home in Hunter’s Square at 14 Mile and Orchard Lake roads in Farmington Hills, where fans flocked to the 5,000-square-foot museum featuring a collection of coin-operated games, pinball machines and animatronic exhibits. However, after the Farmington Hills City Council approved in February 2024 demolition of the building housing the museum to make way for a new development, Marvin’s son, Jeremy Yagoda, had to search for a new location for the museum. Late that year, he secured the spot in West Bloomfield, just a mile away from its former location, but needed a little more help in relocating hundreds of one-of-a-kind items.
A GoFundMe launched in late January with an original goal of raising $5,500 to get the doors reopened, the lights back on and “have the laughter return” has now raised more than $30,000. Supporters of Yagoda and Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum will have to wait a little longer.”I know you all are bummed to hear this, but we are as well,” the Facebook post finished. “I will update you when we know more. I am glad they discovered this now, though, instead of us opening and having to close for this to be resolved.”
Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum delays reopening
Reporting by Susan Bromley, Hometownlife.com / Detroit Free Press
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