But if I have to give up the dream of a pinball machine, there's always Ms. Pac-Man.
We asked Montreal Gazette reporters, editors and photographers to each suggest one local thing — be it an object or an experience — that you can offer this holiday season. See a new pick for every day of December here.
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My home office is in an otherwise unusable nook in the family room. My desk, on which you’ll find two screens, two style guides, 5 million pens (three of which work) and yesterday’s coffee cup next to today’s, is 105 centimetres long by 50 cm deep. It just fits between the wall and the couch.
A pinball machine is 130 by 29 cm. The dog loves the couch but he told me he’s game to move if it’ll make me happy. If I replace the sofa with, say, a sleek armchair and move my office into, I don’t know, my daughter’s room? She doesn’t use her desk anyway.
Pinheads like me can expect to pay $4,000 to $10,000 for a vintage machine, making it a jackpot holiday gift. If that feels a bit rich, North Star Pinball rents games for $500-$750 a month, including delivery and setup within Montreal. There’s a two-month minimum because, c’mon, those things are heavy. They probably won’t move the couch for you, either.
If I have to give up the dream of a pinball machine, there’s always Ms. Pac-Man.
North Star Pinball’s arcade and bar is at 3908 St-Laurent Blvd. Wed.-Fri. 5 p.m.-1 a.m.; Sat. 3 p.m.-1 a.m.; Sun. 5 p.m.-1 a.m. northstarpinball.com, 514-904-6444. Arcade Mile-X Arcade is a private rental arcade with about 40 games set to free play. Membership costs vary and are available by month or year. Non-member drop-in rate is $40. The space can be rented for parties.
Pinball Medics, which sells and repairs games, offers unlimited play every Friday for $10. Children get in free with an adult. 923 Girouard Ave., pinballmedics.ca, 514-809-1334. Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.