Pittsfield Store Bringing Retro Games Back
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new downtown video game store is featuring classics and new releases.
Pixel Vault is opening Friday by co-owners Nathan Delsignore and Tyler Alderman.
The two are known for their own businesses doing information technology support and repair. Alderman owned QuickFix Mobile Repair and More on North Street until recently and Delsignore owns Berkshire Nexus.
Delsignore was working out of his basement when he started selling some of his game collection. That's how he met Alderman.
"Working in your basement is hard, and I'd always collect video games, and because I was always collecting, it's expensive to collect video games," Delsignore said. "And so I started tag saling and Facebooking and to find deals on games ... when I quit my job and started my company, it was like, 'oh, I need to get rid of some of these collectible items that I have' so I posted on Facebook Marketplace. And Tyler reached out to me and was like, 'hey man would you do consignment?'"
Alderman had started to bring video games into his store but was looking leave his North Street storefront because of recent break-ins and other safety reasons.
"I was slowly bringing in games into the store. It's something I also have been really passionate about for a long time, and collecting, not on the scale like Nathan has, but I collected the games that I really like, and then the more I got into the collecting, I feel like everybody kind of started getting into something," Alderman said. "Everybody really dove into their hobbies during COVID. Gaming has always been my hobby, but I really got into it more."
The two believed the area needed more video games and retro stores.
"It just kind of came to be, two people who were honestly just trying to make ends meet. And through that, met each other. And then we're like, wait, this area needs things like this, there's nothing else around," Delsignore said.
They to host events and game nights, and they're bringing both of their IT services into the space as well. They hope to be able to expand eventually, adding more workers and creating a bigger space for their service section.
"If it goes well, maybe just the bigger space for more events and things, more events and and also for the service part, right? My business Berkshire Nexus, but his business is QuickFix, we both didn't feel like we could just close the door on it and be like we're Pixel Vault."
People can also bring in their old consoles, games, phones, and more to trade in or for them to buy.
"We already have regulars and we're not even officially open. They don't now have to plan weekend trips. Hopefully this will be a place at night where we can do some things and be open during First Fridays," Delsignore said. "People can come and hang out and talk to other like-minded people, just sit, play some retro games for a while, and not even necessarily like putting on events for the community, but letting the community kind of exist and thrive, having a place where they can go."
The store is celebrating its grand opening at 71 Federal St., on Friday at 10 a.m. The hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for now.
Tags: new business, collectibles, video games,
