Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum approved to reopen in West Bloomfield
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum is reopening in West Bloomfield, after facing some zoning issues.
The West Bloomfield Zoning Board of Appeals heard the beloved arcade's case Tuesday night and unanimously voted to grant the business a zoning variance to allow it to open in the Orchard Mall.
"I'm just overwhelmed. I'm so excited, I'm so happy. This is going to be marvelous, and just to hear the outpouring of support from the people who came and from the whole board, it was just unreal," said Jeremy Yagoda, the owner and son of Marvin, who opened the business in the 80s.
"That's why I keep doing it because I know how much people love what my father started."
The arcade was forced out of its space in Farmington Hills last year, and planned to relocate to the Orchard Mall in West Bloomfield, but faced two zoning issues.
One concern was their proximity to residential lot lines and their lack of a shared entrance with the rest of the mall. However, the public overwhelmingly supported allowing Marvin's to open there anyway.
"The township has received over 200 letters of support," said board chair David Barash.
"It's got my heart, and it will win the hearts of everybody in West Bloomfield. So I hope you grant this variance," said resident Miriam Leary.
"And it's so fun, as a mom who's older, to be able to show these kids a little bit of my world," said Township Karen Amick.
Yagoda said the community can expect a bigger and better Marvin's.
"It's going to be almost three times as big. We're going to be adding new games as well. I've got this new photobooth that I'm ordering. It's awesome, you can fit like six adults all in there. And it has programmable backgrounds in it, so one of them is going to be able to take a picture with my father in there."
Yagoda said they aim to open in early summer and plan to keep the community informed through social media.