A Bit About Rob
Rob Berk is a renowned figure in the pinball community, celebrated for founding Pinball Expo in 1985 - the first-ever pinball collectors' convention. In 2021, he earned a Guinness World Record for hosting the longest-running pinball convention, solidifying his legacy in the hobby. With a vast collection of vintage machines and a deep passion for the silverball, Rob has become a highly respected authority in the industry, earning admiration from enthusiasts worldwide. He is also the visionary behind Past Times Arcade. On its one-year anniversary, Rob’s family honored him with a second Guinness World Record, recognizing his personal collection of 1,041 pinball machines, a milestone he has since surpassed.
A Pinball Journey Like No Other!
Although a 1948 United Baby Face pinball machine resided in his basement, Rob Berk’s fascination with pinball truly began during annual family vacations to visit his aunt in Florida. As Berk recalls, “My dad always made it a point to take the kids to the arcade. I guess he liked pinball, so it was his way of introducing me to it. And it became our ritual. In fact, there was a bookstore called Alfie’s on Alton Road in Miami Beach that had two pinball machines, and we would just play for hours.” The connection and fascination intensified when Berk’s father purchased a D. Gottlieb Texan for their basement, further solidifying his growing love for the silverball.
Berk’s passion for pinball reached new heights when he started college at Kent State University in 1972. He vividly remembers discovering “…a room full of pinball machines as far as your eye could see, and that really got me going to the point where I decided I wanted to collect pinball machines from the 1960s.” His first acquisition was a 1969 Williams Post Time, sparking a lifelong appreciation for add-a-ball pinball machines. Over time, his collection expanded to over 1,000 pinball machines from various eras. Despite his extensive collection, Berk’s favorites remain the electro-mechanical Post Time and the modern classic Williams’ Medieval Madness.
This fervent enthusiasm led Berk to embark on a new venture, one that far exceeded his original expectations. Immersed in the world of pinball, he devoured books on its history, joined a collector’s club, and connected with others who shared his passion. As Berk reflected, “I realized the designers and artists behind these games brought me immense joy through their creations. I thought, wouldn’t it be something special to recognize them and pay tribute to their contributions?” From this idea, Pinball Expo was born in Chicago, during the weekend of November 22-24, 1985.
For the first time, a convention celebrated the pioneers of pinball, including those whose careers began during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Collectors, hobbyists, and fans gathered to honor the industry’s legends, such as Alvin Gottlieb, Steve Kordek, Norm Clark, Harvey Heiss, and Wayne Neyens. The inaugural event featured seminars, exhibits of machines - old and new, a parts marketplace, and a celebratory banquet. The overwhelming success of the first Pinball Expo transformed what was intended as a one-time event into a cherished annual tradition. Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running pinball show in the world, the expo continues to honor pinball’s past, celebrate its present, and glimpse its future.
In 2021, Pinball Expo moved to the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Illinois. Highlights included a tour of the Stern Pinball factory, a packed schedule of seminars, competitive tournaments, a vendor hall offering everything imaginable for pinball enthusiasts, and an array of engaging activities. In October 2024, Berk and his team celebrated the 40th anniversary of Pinball Expo, welcoming attendees from across the globe—from Argentina to Zimbabwe—and hosting over 100 vendors, more than 100 speakers, and thousands of fans who enjoyed hundreds of pinball machines. The enduring success of Pinball Expo is a testament to Rob Berk’s unwavering and on-going dedication to the silverball.
A Bit About Past Times
It was the same excitement and passion for creating Pinball Expo that Rob decided to find a home for his massive collection of pinball machines, video games, and other arcade games that had been in storage for years. In 2020, Rob purchased and remodeled a family-owned vacant grocery store in Girard, Ohio with the dream of getting his machines up and running. Rob told his wife, Brigitt, that he wanted to “play my games when I want to and to share them with the public.” On June 1, 2023, with the help of our amazing team and family, the doors to the arcade opened to the public. Past Times features 600 games on the floor, as well as being quite educational with our banners, toppers, and floor stickers. Join us at Past Times Arcade, where Rob Berk's passion and dedication have created a venue where the spirit of pinball lives and where families and friends can make yesterday’s memories today.
A Bit About Our Managers
Terence Bennett
As General Manager of Past Times since July 2024, Terence Bennett has brought a fresh perspective to the world of arcades. With a robust background in food service and a welcoming personality, Terence has significantly enhanced our kitchen offerings, introducing exciting new food and beverage options. Of course, our iconic milkshakes—crafted using the Berk family’s secret recipes—remain a cornerstone of our menu. Under Terence’s leadership, Past Times has become a destination for visitors from around the globe, eager to experience the excitement of our arcade.
Patrick Baldwin
Patrick Baldwin, our Assistant General Manager, has been an integral part of the team since the early days of Mike Hale’s leadership. Patrick is the creative force behind our “Past Times Crew Plays for Morning Brew,” a weekly live event broadcast on Facebook every Tuesday morning. He also oversees our seasonal leagues and an array of tournaments, including the highly popular Mega Match Tournaments. Patrick’s innovative contributions include organizing Classics Tournaments, the Turkey Trot, 12 Strikes of Christmas, Stern Army Events, and more. His dedication to fostering a vibrant pinball community has created opportunities for players of all ages and skill levels to connect and compete. Patrick is especially proud of the friendships formed at Past Times, united by a shared passion for the silverball.
A Bit About Our Amazing Team
At Past Times, we are incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional team working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a top-notch gaming experience. Our dedicated technicians are committed to maintaining and repairing our games week after week, allowing visitors to enjoy seamless gameplay.
Our diligent staff also ensures that all games and facilities are kept clean, sanitized, and ready for your enjoyment. During our public hours, from Thursday through Sunday, our caring and hardworking team is here to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.
We are deeply grateful for their efforts and contributions—they are the backbone of what makes Past Times a truly remarkable destination!
Mike Hale, Project Lead
A Bit About Mike Hale, Past Times Project Lead (as shared by Mike)
On January 12, 2020, I bought my dad his favorite pinball machine from his childhood, a 1964 Gottlieb “North Star.” Growing up, my dad would tell us about his love for pinball and spending his paper route money at the local arcade. I was able to track down the game using an online database and met a gentleman, Knox Patton Jr. from Clarion, PA. Knox was reluctant to sell the game from his collection but decided that he would let it go because it was a gift for my father. When my brother and I were loading the game into my small pickup truck, Knox said, “Just so you know, this won’t be your last one.” I dismissed this at the time but soon discovered that he could not have been more right.
I became fascinated (borderline obsessed) with how the game worked before the implementation of computer boards. I soon discovered that non-working games could be bought for only a few hundred dollars. I figured that I would buy one and try my hand at learning how to bring it back to life. With the help of a Facebook Group called “EM Pinball” of very passionate hobbyists, I was able to restore my first project game back to 100% functional. There were three people that took additional time to help me through the process as a complete novice and stranger: Kim Oswald, Jay Horst, Al Freud. Now that I had “the itch” for fixing them, the obsession shifted to building my own collection by tracking down more non-working games to fix and sell for a profit to buy games that I wanted to have. I made a promise to myself that I would pay it forward and help the community when I gained enough knowledge to help others as these three did for me.
While searching for games a few months later, I found an ad on eBay for a pinball machine located in Warren, Ohio. I wasn’t interested in the game, but I saw other games in the background of the picture, so I reached out to the seller to ask if he had any other games for sale. The seller replied, “I have a few hundred of them in a warehouse.” At the time, I did not know that I had just accidentally connected with the world’s largest pinball collector, Rob Berk. Within a week, I made the trip over to the warehouse and conversations began about my repair process and willingness to work on games that would eventually end up in a museum/arcade. A month later, I returned with an enclosed trailer able to fit six pinball machines. It was my intention that I would barter my work efforts for games, not money. I would return the games in a month or two and load up another five games.
In August of 2021, Rob called to ask if he would be able to come to play my collection at my house. During his visit, we had lunch, and he began to discuss the possibility of overseeing the development and opening of Past Times Arcade. It would be a dream job. A true “once in a lifetime possibility.” After many discussions, we reached an agreement, and I was hired as the Project Lead of Past Times Arcade.
There is one job in the world that is opening the world’s largest pinball arcade for the Guinness largest pinball collector in the world. I had the privilege and honor to do just that. While I had zero experience opening an arcade, let alone one of this magnitude, I was open to the challenge. We didn’t have much of a roadmap when I came onboard, not much more than rows of conduit across the floor that would power the games. The first task was determining how many games we could support with the space and a general layout of ratio of video games, solid state pinballs, and electromechanical pinballs. Next came literally climbing through the jam-packed collection in the warehouse to choose games based on title and condition. I knew that it would be important to have many of the desired and nostalgic titles, but we also needed to fill the space with roughly 600 games. We started loading up our box truck with sixteen games at a time and began staging the arcade layout. Over the next year, we went through every single game to fix them and get them running 100%. There were many long days, overnights, and volunteer testers needed prior to our grand opening on June 1, 2023. Some of my best memories were these late nights.
I often think about all the things that had to happen for this opportunity. What if I never bought that first game for my dad? What if Knox wasn’t willing to sell it? The message sent to Rob over eBay. His willingness to trust me and allow me to take his games to my home for repair. Being the Project Lead for Past Times was an incredible opportunity. I am forever thankful for Rob, Brigitt, and Reilly for taking a chance on me to bring Rob’s dream to life.
In July 2024, Mike made the decision to return to his former career in education, where he continues to inspire and shape the lives of countless young students. The Berk family remains deeply grateful for Mike’s role in creating a truly special place that has brought joy to so many.