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Midweek Edition - September 9-10, 2020 The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com LIFE Selling nostalgia Retro gaming store adds to Macon community Owner Aaron Gray, right, and manager David Deruvo of Retro Raven in Ingleside Village in Macon. ‘I started collecting and kind of keeping one of everything. I just kind of knew eventually it would be cool to open up a retro video BY JUSTIN BAXLEY The Macon Telegraph MACON — Thousands of Ameri cans have old video game consoles and equipment collecting dust on bookshelves or in attics. Heir looms of the past, for some, but, for Macon’s Aaron Gray, his future. For the past eight years, Gray has collected and sold vintage video games while working as a warehouse manager. The video game finds eventually began to outgrow his garage and, earlier this year, he decided to start his own small business. “I started collecting and kind of keeping one of everything,” Gray said. “I just kind of knew eventu ally it would be cool to open up a retro video game store.” Seven years after moving from Athens to Macon, Gray made that dream a reality when he opened Retro Raven at 2320 Ingleside Ave. in early August after about six months of getting the shop ready to go. Amazing community support Gray has been amazed at the community response to the shop. A video game store is something that he said Macon has been missing for a long time. “It’s surpassed anything I could imagine,” Gray said. “I like inter acting with customers. (I like) the thrill of the hunt and finding these old games that are worth money and then finding someone who enjoys it and appreciates them. ” The store specializes in older video games and video game sys tems like the Nintendo 64, the SEGA Genesis and Atari. Retro Raven also stocks all the way up to the current generation systems with Playstation 4 and Xbox One. The store’s games, systems and equipment range from the com mon to the very rare: one games is priced at $599, a shooter for the SEGA Genesis. Retro Raven also has a rare system called the JVC X’Eye which can also play Genesis games. The rare finds are part of the fun for Gray. He recently bought a giant collection that had been stored in an attic for years in suit cases and was able to acquire nearly 50 games at a flea market in Athens. game store.’ Aaron Gray, owner, Retro Raven “There was a lot of stuff that you never see. It’s hard to find rare stuff,” Gray said. “That’s what really keeps it, you know, fun.” Selling more than video games Gray said most customers are interested in the Nintendo 64 and the Nintendo Gamecube. He attri butes that to the current genera tion of gamers looking to reconnect with their childhood. While Retro Raven is a video game store, Gray is selling more than just games to his customers. “Nostalgia is kind of what we sell,” Gray said. Gray said that he is already beginning to see a need to poten tially expand the store and the brand as video games and systems are already filling up the current space he is in. He hopes that in the future he will be able to get a larger store and maybe add addi tional stores in Middle Georgia. One of the advantages to poten tially expanding is to possibly host video game tournaments. “ I would like to set it up to where you had multiple TVs and you can have (tournaments),” Gray said. “That’s something that I’ve heard people talk about. I know there’s probably a market for it. ” With COVID-19 hitting around the time that Gray leased his cur rent space for the store, he was able to take his time in getting it right for customers. He is hopes that business in the Ingleside area will once again be booming soon. “I thought it was going to be one of those things that just never came to here, but signed the lease in February before it hit American soil,” Gray said. “I just had to have faith in God that if he wanted to do JASON V0RHEES I The Macon Telegraph this, that I just had to keep working through.” Spreading his wings Faith is a big part of why Gray decided to open the business and how he got the name Retro Raven. After months of praying, he began to see ravens everywhere. One time, in particular, was when he was working at his warehouse job and saw a storm approaching. “Storm was coming in and I’m standing in this close area at the bar and chain link fence and I’m kind of looking out at the storm and there’s just a raven flying around in the storm, ” Gray said. “That was kind of the moment where, like, you know, I also have to get out and spread my wings and do what I’m passionate about, whether it suc ceeds or fails. At least I’ll be happy doing it.” COMING SOON COMING SOON COMING SOON COMING SOON COMING SOON STif atmfs j gainesvilletimes.corn • The Times is proud to present our 2020 High School Football Kickoff Schedule, each publication starting on Aug. 22 and ending on Sept. 9 will highlight our local teams. Make sure to check back with us each week to hear about your favorite teams! PUBLICATION COVERAGE SCHEDULE Aug. 22: Gainesville and Lanier Christian Aug. 26: Johnson and Flowery Branch Aug. 29: Cherokee Bluff and North Hall Sep. 2:West Hall and Lakeview Academy Sep. 9: Chestatee and East Hall This sports coverage Northeast Georgia sponsored by Health System Out (Times gainesvilletimes.com
