A recent article in the Post and Courier featured Marco Specialties, a pinball machine parts business based in Lexington, S.C., that’s at the center of a niche part of the industry.

“The Columbia metro area is something of a mecca for the vintage pinball industry, but unless you move in those circles, you wouldn’t know it,” the author wrote. But those who are in the know boast about Marco Specialties.

Barenaked Ladies lead singer Ed Robertson was in town for a concert in September, and noted to fans that he bought some spare parts for his extensive pinball collection at one of the few places that still sells them – Marco Specialties.

Opened in 1985 by Marc Mandletort, he told the newspaper, “Columbia is the pinball capital of the world. At least that’s what we tell everybody.” He runs the business with his wife and son.

Boxes and boxes of solenoid coils, plastic targets and countless other items line the store’s inventory shelves. After all, everything the ball hits breaks eventually, Mandletort said.

He added, “We try to have it all. This is a library; it’s not a warehouse. We try to keep archival copies of everything we can get our hands on. It’s either the original parts, if we can get them. If we can’t get them, we’ll go out and make them.”

Be sure to read the article and check them out at www.marcospecialties.com. And while you’re at it, go to your library of RePlays and pick out the September 2016 issue to read contributor Gary Flower’s feature on the company (it starts on pg. 61).