sixstringmonk wrote:I've driven by the place probably 1000 times in my life because I've been in various bands that have rented rehearsal spaces near his shop. Finally a few months ago I noticed the Commodore logo in the window. Today I decided to peek my head in there since I'm currently on the prowl for a few things.
Those photos only do the shop partial justice because they can't really capture the full glory and size of the space. I think there are 3 rooms total. The entry way is roughly 12x12ft, and then there is another room roughly the same size. Then there is a much larger space in the back (20x 20ft?) which appears to be the workshop area. That is also where the point of sale terminal is (a c64 and dot matrix printer). Every square inch of this place is covered in goodies.
As the photos show, there is way too much stuff to take in, but I did notice ample amounts of commodores (vics, 64s, 128s, and Amigas), plus all of the displays, printers, and other peripherals you could care to shake a stick at. Also, there was a ton of software (opened and unopened), plus a good shelf of books, and a magazine rack filled with gems.
I was in a little bit of a hurry, but I was able to spend some time talking with the owner. He seems like a really interesting fellow who obviously has a vast knowledge of Commodores. He has most of the common stuff you'd find on Ebay, oldsoftware.com, and cmdrkey. His pricing seems to be pretty fair as well. I doubt he can keep his website in check with his inventory so if you are ever looking for something and it's not on his site, fire him off an email. He ships internationally and does repairs.
Let me tell you, going into that place was much more fun than scrounging ebay. I left there with a 1702 and a geek buzz.
Since the store is open regularly, anything awfully rare (and affordable) probably has been long sold. But you are likely to have a good time even if you mostly find "common" items.
carlsson wrote:Since the store is open regularly, anything awfully rare (and affordable) probably has been long sold. But you are likely to have a good time even if you mostly find "common" items.
since the link to the shop now have been posted on all c64 forums, the shop will be emptied soon i guess....
Guys this might be the Commodore-addicted heaven... We (me and my girlfriend) were planning to fly to the U.S.A. for our honey moon (from 14 until 28 of september, I guess) but after this juicy new I'm wishing to go there too. Is there someone that can help me to tell it to my girlfriend??
No one should tolerate death and violence because tolerance will generate habit.
nbla000 wrote:oh my god, never see all this commodore stuff in the same place !!!!!
I hope some Denial member may go to this shop to find some rare vic-20 tape/cart or hardware....
I am currently in Rochester, MN, for a short vacation (my girlfriend works here) and will spend my last two days in the Twin Cities before flying back to Italy... I will check it out.
orion70 wrote:I am currently in Rochester, MN, for a short vacation (my girlfriend works here) and will spend my last two days in the Twin Cities before flying back to Italy... I will check it out.
Orion you are the right man in the right place !!!!
I'm sure you may find all the boxed carts you are looking for but try to spend time to ransack the vic stuff for some rare items, if you have a Smartphone to surf the web you may ask us in case of doubts and if the budged may be a problem tell us so we can help you via PayPal or similar.
Please ask your girlfriend to be patient for one day
Some events may happen just once in the life
PS: [ITA] Buone Vacanze !!!!
Mega-Cart: the cartridge you plug in once and for all.
I live about 5 hours from the Twin Cities (and grew up there), and visit on occasion. Next time I'm there, I'll have to stop by! If this was there when I lived there, I never knew about it... too bad. When I first got my Vic in about 1983, it was already hard to get the Vic stuff as everyone had already moved on to the 64. I would always go to all the computer stores asking about Vic stuff (searching through all the 64 stuff to no avail), and the shopkeepers would always look at me sideways.
Have fun in the USA! I'd much rather vacation about anywhere else, but I guess if you don't live here...!
This is very cool, but it's hardly the last walk-in retail repository of Commodore stuff in North America. Here are some more:
-Joe Palumbo's basement (Toronto, Canada) Commodore games and systems all over the place...under the stairs, in the furnace room, etc.
-Centsible Software's warehouses (Middle of nowhere, Michigan). Thousands and thousands of new/shrinkwrapped/rare C64 games. I cleaned them out of VIC stuff already though
I don't have a Smartphone or similar, but I do have a digital camera with me .
I will buy everything interesting or rare for VIC (including the Temple of Apshai for ral-clan, if I find one copy of it). I don't think I will spend much time browsing through stuff for other platforms.
For someone who knows the place: any way to get from the Mall of America (next to which my hotel is located) to Downtown St Paul? - I mean, apart from Taxi. I've never been there, and google maps says Raymond Av is almost 10 miles far from the hotel; a little too much to go walking .
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