(Courtesy of Guest Blogger David Spasic, co-owner of Superelectric LLC)
Most people know Superelectric Pinball Parlor, 6500 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, by our new storefront that opened in December in Gordon Square where we sell pinball machines, vintage games, and screen-printed apparel and merchandise. The roots of Superelectric, however, date back to 2003 when Ben Haehn, Nathaniel Murray, and I met in Bowling Green while studying art. Each of us had a different focus in college. Screen printing, digital art, and ceramics were our respective emphases; however, one common thread among us is our love for using recycled or found objects in our artwork.
We have been visiting HGR Industrial Surplus for years to find materials to use in our art and to generate inspiration for future pieces. Also, while working in the film industry we would often look to HGR for props and set decorations for movies and commercials. Having such a wonderful resource at your fingertips is amazing.
Last summer, when we began working on our storefront location, we would visit HGR regularly to find building materials and items that we could upcycle. On one visit I brought my uncle, a former machinist, and my father, the person who first told me about HGR. Together, we dug through the building looking for materials that could be repurposed into railing for our storefront. My uncle had never been to HGR and was in awe of the size and diversity of the goods available, as well as the low prices.
Eventually, my father stumbled on a pallet of aluminum frames. “What about these?” he called out. I came over to take a closer look and realized that it was a pallet of industrial screen printing frames. How perfect! Superelectric started as a screen printing company back in 2007 before pinball became our main focus. Reusing screen printing frames in our store would be a great homage to our roots. Explaining our purpose and limited budget, we were able to work with the staff at HGR to get a great price on the frames. After a night of playing with different orientations for the frames we landed on the current set up. The railing turned out great, and we have people ask about it all the time. It wouldn’t be possible without the friendly staff, huge selection of goods, and great prices at HGR. Thanks!