Episode 72 - Operator Spotlight: Astoria Pinball
Support the show: https:/ko-fi.com/wedgeheadpodcast We are joined on the show by our friend Todd Robinett, to discuss creating a pinball scene from scratch in a small town near the Oregon Coast. He operates pins in his two businesses: the Merry Time Bar, and the Labor Temple Diner. When Todd first moved out to Astoria, there were no pinball machines. Now Astoria has 45 pinball machines on location in a town of 10,000 people, and Todd operates about half of these games. Todd tells...
Kineticist’s take
Small-town Oregon operator builds thriving pinball scene through tourism strategy and community events.
Synopsis
Todd Robinette, operator of Maritime Bar and Labor Temple Diner in Astoria, Oregon (a 10,000-person coastal town), discusses building a pinball scene from scratch over 11 years. He shares how pinball machines function as customer draws beyond direct earnings, his strategy of featuring rare/low-production-run games to attract tourists, operational challenges in a small market, relationships with neighboring arcade operators (Gizmos and Galactics), and his monthly pinball hangouts for newcomers. The conversation touches on the value of boutique games like Spooky's Halloween, the importance of mentorship for new players, and cooperative rather than combative relationships with local competition.
Highlights
- Maritime Bar and Labor Temple Diner have been operating for 11 years; Maritime was already 40 years old when Todd took over.
- When Todd arrived in Astoria, there were only two pinball machines in the entire town, both non-functional (Stern Playboy and Pinball 2000 Episode One).
- Maritime's pinball loft currently has 17 machines, which is a notable collection for a town of 10,000.
- Pinball machines serve primarily as customer acquisition tools rather than direct profit centers; they drive bar and restaurant sales.
- Todd's strategy includes operating rare, low-production-run games to distinguish his location and attract traveling pinball enthusiasts.
- Spooky pinball machines present unique operational challenges but are not as problematic as internet reputation suggests.
- Todd acquired games from neighboring operator Gizmos and is negotiating a trade of his Halloween machine to Galactics operator Marcus.
- Astoria's tourism spikes in summer but pinball also draws visitors year-round, with regular encounters of out-of-state players.
Entities
- Galactics· company
- Gizmos· company
- Labor Temple Diner· company
- Maritime Bar· company
- Alien· game
- Black Knight· game
- Bram Stoker's Dracula· game
- Fishtails· game
- Halloween· game
- Laser Ball· game
- Pinball 2000 Episode One· game
- Stern Playboy· game
- Venom· game
- World Beauties· game
- Astoria, Oregon· organization
- Pinball Magazine· organization
- Straight Down the Middle: a pinball show· organization
- Wedgehead Pinball Podcast· organization
- Alan· person
- Chris Rhodes· person
- Marcus· person
- Rodsey· person
- Roger· person
- Todd Robinette· person
- Waterboy· person