Memory Lane Arcade

{{Short description|Arcade amusement park}}

{{Infobox amusement park

| name = Memory Lane Arcade

| image = Memory Lane Arcade.jpg

| location = 626, South Main Street, Frankenmuth

| location2 = Michigan

| location3 = United States

| coordinates = {{coord|43|19|0.912|N|83|44|25.115|W}}

| theme = Coin-operated machines

| homepage = {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/19991128233759/http://www.memorylanearcade.com/}}

| general_manager = Dennis R. Atkinson

| owner = Dennis R. Atkinson

| opening_date = {{Start date and age|1975|4|29}}

| closing_date = {{End date|2004|11|28}}

| season = Summer through Fall, Xmas Weekends

| slogan = "Proud to be an American"{{cite web|url=http://209.221.138.252/Details.aspx? |title=Michigan Machine Locations |access-date=March 30, 2021}}

| status = Closed

}}

Memory Lane Arcade was an arcade amusement park located in Frankenmuth, Michigan. It was opened on April 29, 1975{{cite web|url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_mi/800045049 |title=Open Corporates - Memory Lane Arcade |access-date=March 30, 2021}} by Dennis R. Atkinson and his wife Irene. It closed on November 28, 2004.{{cite web|url=https://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/200612/2006.12.27.05.html |title=Mechanical Music Digest - Memory Lane Arcade in Frankenmuth is Closed |last=Caulfield |first=Matthew |date=December 27, 2006 |access-date=March 30, 2021}} It is notable for its collection of old-fashioned activities, including coin-operated fortune tellers, arcade games, roll-playing instruments and attractions. Many games were pretty cheap to play.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/97704283/ |title=Your Daily Guide |last= |first= |date=August 5, 1994 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |location=Detroit, Michigan |access-date=February 26, 2020 |page=2 |language=en-US |issn=}} Admission in the arcade was completely free.{{Cite book |last=Hunt |first=Mary |date=1994 |title=Hunts' highlights of Michigan |url=https://archive.org/details/huntshighlightso00hunt/page/376/mode/2up |language=English |publisher=Midwestern Guides |page=376}}

Apart from 100 years worth of penny arcades, the place also offered modern services including 3D movies, sports and computer games.{{Cite book |last2=Zavatsky |first2=George |last1=Zavatsky |first1=Michele |date=2000 |title=Kids Love Publications |url=https://archive.org/details/kidslovemichigan00geor/page/12/mode/2up |language=English |publisher=Midwestern Guides |page=13}} In 1984, Atkinson won an Association de la Sommellerie Internationale award for the "Taito America Elevator Action Kit".{{Cite magazine |date=March 24, 1984 |title=Industry News - Video Game Winners |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1984/CB-1984-03-24.pdf#page=39 |magazine=Cashbox |language=English |publisher=George Albert |volume=46 |issue=42 |page=39}} By 1995, there was a trend that children were not getting their money's worth from playing games and winning prize.{{Cite magazine |date=December 1995 |title=Letters - Unsettling Trends |url=https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-21-number-13-december-1995/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%2021%2C%20Number%2013%20-%20December%201995%20%28Compressed%29/page/10/mode/2up |magazine=Play Meter |language=English |publisher=Carol P. Lally |volume=21 |issue=13 |page=10}}