I was searching the Internet today to refresh my memory about Memory
Lane Arcade in Frankenmuth, Michigan, and was shocked to discover
that that wonderful old place is closed -- gone!  The Atkinsons, who
owned and operated Memory Lane Arcade for thirty years, had amassed
a huge collection of old-time penny arcade machines, plus a few
roll-playing instruments (a Seeburg E and an Arburo or DeCap dance
organ), a Laffing Sal, and other nostalgic pieces of Americana.

Memory Lane Arcade apparently closed November 28, 2004, although
a skeleton web site (http://apex-united.com/memory_lane/index.html) is
still up.  I wonder what happened to the items in that collection?

Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York

 [ Damon Atchison wrote in 980207 MMDigest about a music cassette of
 [ the Seeburg E: "This tape is of better quality than other recordings
 [ of mechanical music I've heard.  The piano is very clear and the
 [ pipes don't dominate the sound."  The cassette and a CD are still
 [ offered at  http://apex-united.com/memory_lane/novelties.html
 [ -- Robbie