Anyone have pictures of A8's and/or games in their natural habitat?

[Ross PK]

I'd love to see some pics of the inside of game shops from the 80's and see some A8 hardware and/or software displays. I've looked on google but I can't find any.

 

However, I do have a pic in an old magazine of the inside of a shop called Atari World with the staff lined up, which used to be underground on Fennel Street in Manchester UK (anyone remember it). I remember going there as a kid

 

Also I'm sure Red Rat software operated in the back. I'll try and take a piccy of it and post it up here, but I'm not sure if it'll turn out good.

[dinosaur]

One of the most innovative U.S. dealers was here in Baltimore Maryland Toad Computers. I got to know Dave Troy. Ray Mitchell,and Jennifer pretty well. Jennifer later became Mrs.Troy.

 

They were wonderful,helpful people.

 

We were very lucky in this area,as there were several great dealers in the Metro Washington area.

 

 

And,of course,the great newsletter (really a magazine!) Current Notes was

published in this area. They sponsored a graet AtariFest for several years.

 

I know that I have some photos around here somewhere.If I can find them,I will post some.

[Allas]

something like this?

 

[Ross PK]

Lol.

[Gury]

Freaking cool

[carmel_andrews]

Sillica shop in Sidcup (even though i live about 30 mins. walk from where there london shop was), it was considered by many to being the best stocked atari shop in the UK

 

A bit like alladins cave (open sessame and all that), i'd have to admit though that most of sillica's offering were mainly from the US (in that respect they where miles better then US gold and the pittance that they imported)

 

Virgin games centre (oxford street) which is now Game/EB, the offerings they had for the A8, they shouldn't have bothered (although they did better with the ST)

 

Pilot software (rathbone place, of oxford street) near the west end sorting office, despite their small size they at least attempted to support the A8 (more then i can say for virgin game centre)

 

In the early 80's (before the tramiels bought atari), there used to be a big games software shop where Game/EB is now, that was run by the same company that ran Palace software (as both companies used the same logo)

 

Also there used to be 2 games software shops at both ends of oxford street (the ones with a green fascia/frontage) called 'games centre' they also did hardware, they did have a big thing for A8, they did also stock commodore, sinclair and various consoles

 

Dillons of Malet street/Gower Street (now waterstones) and what used to be 'Claude Gill' (now waterstones) just by the oxford street enterance to tottenham court road tube stn., also used to do games software (and A8 as well i think)

 

I did try and go to 'Atari World' in manchester (got of on the wrong station, piccadilly instead of victoria) none of the local bod's seemed to know where 'Fennel Street' was (though i did catch a glimpse of Ocean Software's H/O, another 'anti A8' software house)

 

The best atari shop on the south coast is a toss up betw. Gamer (brighton) and chips/data direct in west worthing (they were almost as good as sillica was, sort of like a 'mini' sillica)

[Ross PK]

Okay I've taken a picture, but it's turned out blurry because my camera is crap, so don't expect much.

 

This could be the only picture of AW that exists on the net. It wasn't some flashy shop like EB or Gamestation, but I liked how it was, like my kind of place, and the people who worked there seemed to be real A8 fans. This pic is from '88.

 

Edited October 26, 2006 by Ross PK

[+DarkLord]

One of the most innovative U.S. dealers was here in Baltimore Maryland Toad Computers. I got to know Dave Troy. Ray Mitchell,and Jennifer pretty well. Jennifer later became Mrs.Troy.

 

They were wonderful,helpful people.

 

We were very lucky in this area,as there were several great dealers in the Metro Washington area.

 

 

And,of course,the great newsletter (really a magazine!) Current Notes was

published in this area. They sponsored a graet AtariFest for several years.

 

I know that I have some photos around here somewhere.If I can find them,I will post some.

 

Don't have any pictures - wish I did - but I certainly remember Toad Computers, with Dave and Jennifer.

 

Manys the times I've talked directly to them on the phone, when placing orders. As you said, a wonderful bunch.

 

Jennifer called me directly at home, when the first batch of Jaguars came in, asking if I wanted one held

for me. Of course I did.

 

Current Notes ruled. I believe I've got every mag they put out. I also wrote a couple of articles for them.

That was actually a lot of fun!

[Allas]

[Tempest]

 

WOW!

 

Is that a 815 in the lower right?

 

Tempest

[dinosaur]

Looks like an 815 to me!

[www.atarimania.com]

Anybody visited the B & C Computervisions store and the warehouse? That's a mighty impressive place

 

--

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

[+Guitarman]

I have visited Best Electronics in San Jose a couple of times. Rather embarrasing wiping the drool from my face while trying to talk!! I'll try to get some pics the next time I'm there.

 

My Atari Wall

 

The rest of it

Edited October 26, 2006 by Guitarman

[carmel_andrews]

I almost forgot, the best well stocked atari vendor in the west end (london) in the early/mid 80's was the world famous 'Hamleys' shop in regent street

 

They used to have the whole of the lower ground floor (where SEGA had their arcade at home concession a few years later) as retail space for Atari and other computer and games machines (including electronic handheld games systems)

 

I'd say the betw. a 3rd and 40 p/c of the floor space was given over to atari computers/gaming systems, whilst yes they did also have commodores, sinclair's etc, but mostly Atari

 

It was a bit like having tottenham court road squeezed into 1 floor of retail space, and you could'nt even swing a cat, it was that packed at weekends)

 

I even bought a 600xl from hamley's for 50 pound (sillica were still selling them at 80 at the time)

 

After i started working in the west end at the back end of '86, they moved the computer/videogames dept to the 3rd or 4th floor, unfortunately they'd dropped most of the Atari stuff as well as commodores/sinclairs etc and mostly concentrated on sega/nintendo stuff

 

In relation to Atari world (Manchester), either they owned Red Rat software or Red Rat owned Atari world (as they both shared the same management)

 

In relation to Home Entertainment centre (birmingham) I recall hearing that they were bought out by 'Software express' (also from birmingham)

 

I was told that software express were founded by members of the B.U.G (Birmingham User Group)

[John E.]

I used to go to Atari World in Manchester where I were a lad!

 

Was probably the only place I knew of that stocked quite a lot of Atari software and not just the odd budget tape.

[Ross PK]

I used to go to Atari World in Manchester where I were a lad!

 

Was probably the only place I knew of that stocked quite a lot of Atari software and not just the odd budget tape.

 

Yeah, the next best stocked shop that I knew of was called something like 'Home & Business Technology Center' in Oldham. Apart from that I only saw a few Atari games on the flea market and Boots.

[Karen Atari]

Okay I've taken a picture, but it's turned out blurry because my camera is crap, so don't expect much.

 

This could be the only picture of AW that exists on the net. It wasn't some flashy shop like EB or Gamestation, but I liked how it was, like my kind of place, and the people who worked there seemed to be real A8 fans. This pic is from '88.

 

 

 

Hi could you do a clearer scan of that picture.. ~ please..

 

Cheers

[Curt Vendel]

Hey that looks familiar - oh wait, thats my stuff I was exhibiting at the Vintage Computer Festival a few years back...

 

Where did you find the photo of the Atarimuseum.com exhibit?

 

 

 

 

Curt

 

 

 

[Curt Vendel]

Yup, that's an 815, plus next to it is an ERIC (Electronic Retail Information Center) laserdisc controller system which was hooked up the 800 and was running the Atari POP Laserdisc demonstration system during the VCF show.

 

 

 

Curt

 

 

 

 

WOW!

 

Is that a 815 in the lower right?

 

Tempest

[Karen Atari]

I ask about the picture because that's me the female in it...

[carmel_andrews]

Karen...you must be the famous Ms. Sutherland (or was it southerton), the piccy i seem to recall was probably taken from Page 6 magazine as i recognise the piccy

 

Just out of interest karen, what was the relationship betw. red rat and atari world...and why was red rats programming depqartment in liverpool and not manchester

[Tezz]

QUOTE(Ross PK @ Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:27 PM)

 

Okay I've taken a picture, but it's turned out blurry because my camera is crap, so don't expect much.

 

This could be the only picture of AW that exists on the net. It wasn't some flashy shop like EB or Gamestation, but I liked how it was, like my kind of place, and the people who worked there seemed to be real A8 fans. This pic is from '88.

Hey all.. Long time since I've been on Atariage with work commitments ... LOL Good old Atari World on Fennel Street.. That's a blast from the past...Man how much time did we spend in that place! Remember Harry Nadler frowning seeing us there EVERY night and throwing us out at closing time.. lol.. never a good idea to have arcade machines in the place if you don't want kids hanging there! I have that Page6 mag with the photo someplace at home. I'll have to dig it out and scan it in.. Have plenty of stories sourounding Red Rat and Atari World ..Certainly remember Karen working there.. Where is Harry these days and his son Steve? .... Can't believe those days were such a long time ago now ....

 

Tezz

[Karen Atari]

Hi Everyone... Yes it's me Karen from AW ... first of all I'd lie to say what a gem it is finding this forum ... 18 years is a long time. Tezz I'd love to hear your stories re AW.

 

Can I just say that evryone who ever worked at AW loved that place.

 

here's an update on some of the people who ran it. Sadly Harry died in 2002 he was 60, he loved Red Rat and AW. Do any of you remember Charles and his dad.. well Charlie snr passed 10 years ago.

 

Not seen Don in ages and Brian who desgned all the graphics for the Red Rat games still does that but for bigger gameing co's.

 

Hi Carmel... RR and AW were the same company, and RR's main office was at the back of AW in manchester not liverpool..

 

If any of you have any questond I'd be delighted to answer thjem for you.

 

Take care.. and it's great to know that Atari World holds many fond memories for you all.. incl me..

Edited November 24, 2006 by Karen Atari

[thomasholzer]

AW in Manchester was always a place I wanted to visit, after seeing the huge ads in Atari User and Page 6, and the original Telegames UK too, and Page 6 (Les). Never managed to go to either of them. Although Page 6 always attended the AMS. (Did AW? I cannot remember)

 

I visited the AMS quite often, held in Uttoxeter, near Stafford.

Actually, visit this site for some cool AMS pictures and more:

http://home.clara.net/dgs/

 

I did visit Atari headquarters in Slough a couple of times (that was an awesome warehouse), where I met Daryl Still. Nice man. I wish I'd taken my camera along though to take some pictures of that warehouse full of Atari goodness.

 

Silica Shop in London (Tottenham Court Road, before they changed road sides, 1st floor, all A8) was my fave hang-out too (plus they had a corner at Selfridges in Oxford Street too), lots of A8 and VCS stuff at the time (1987 onwards to 1992 or so).

 

I was always lucky with my local computer shops. They always were Atari fans and stocked Atari 8-bit softs.

 

Later on CEX in London was always worth a visit (The Retro Shop at the old address). Nowadays, forget it

Edited November 24, 2006 by thomasholzer

[Tezz]

Hi Everyone... Yes it's me Karen from AW ... first of all I'd lie to say what a gem it is finding this forum ... 18 years is a long time. Tezz I'd love to hear your stories re AW.

 

Can I just say that evryone who ever worked at AW loved that place.

 

here's an update on some of the people who ran it. Sadly Harry died in 2002 he was 60, he loved Red Rat and AW. Do any of you remember Charles and his dad.. well Charlie snr passed 10 years ago.

 

Not seen Don in ages and Brian who desgned all the graphics for the Red Rat games still does that but for bigger gameing co's.

 

Hi Carmel... RR and AW were the same company, and RR's main office was at the back of AW in manchester not liverpool..

 

If any of you have any questond I'd be delighted to answer thjem for you.

 

Take care.. and it's great to know that Atari World holds many fond memories for you all.. incl me..

Hi again.. That's really sad news that Harry is no longer around. Red Rat and Atari World played a significant part in my life. Many fond memories there. Sometimes getting to see the games being tested whislt they were in development. I spent a lot of time in AW for years and still to this day have all of the disks and tapes I bought there. One time in particular I remember we were there ALL the time and remember Harry saying to us "for god sake don't you have homes to go to" lol.. That's such sad news about him.... Well, we all certainly helped keep the place going! I bought something there every week.. By chance, my brother actually ended up working with Harry's son Steve for a while many years ago.. I remember Karen working there btw as you used to actually live next door to one of our freinds, Martin at that time...

 

Tezz