36 | NOVEMBER 30 • 2023
J
N
OUR COMMUNITY
A
s a kid, you knew you
were in for a treat if
your parents drove
you to Hunter’s Square, where a
nondescript building at the back
of the Farmington Hills plaza
houses one of Metro Detroit’s
most unique attractions.
From the outside, Marvin’s
Marvelous Mechanical Museum
— which the Farmington
Hills Planning Commission is
pushing forward a proposal to
demolish in favor of replacing
the space with a new Meijer
location — doesn’t look like
much.
In fact, if you don’t know
it’s there, you may miss it
altogether. Yet those who grew
up at the iconic 5,000-plus-
square-foot arcade, vintage
museum and ultimate birthday
party space know that Marvin’s
Marvelous Mechanical Museum
is a one-of-a-kind gem.
After rounding the doors,
you’re greeted with whimsical,
colorful attractions and games,
all of which have been carefully
curated by the museum’s
original owner and founder,
Marvin Yagoda, who created
the museum in the 1980s and
passed away in 2017.
Look up and you’ll find
vintage model airplanes
suspended from the high
ceiling, and plastered on
the walls are limited edition
movie posters, many spanning
decades. Nestled in between are
neon signs, collectors’ items and
other antique memorabilia.
CHERISHED MEMORIES
For many Metro Detroiters,
Marvin’s has served as a
beloved community staple for
generations. Parents who once
spent weekends there as kids
now bring their own children
to experience the joy that is
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical
Museum.
However, the legacy that
Jewish community member
Yagoda worked so hard to build
— and that his son, Jeremy
Yagoda, continues today — is
threatened to be uprooted.
Earlier this month, the
planning commission for the
city of Farmington Hills voted
in approval of the proposal.
Now, the proposal is heading
to the city council for approval,
but the city council has assured
the community they won’t be
making the decision, which will
Jeremy Yagoda
and his late
father, Marvin
Generations of customers rally
in support of Marvin’s Marvelous
Mechanical Museum.
Saving a
Community
Staple
ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER