An obscure, niche Billings business is “leveling up” this year — Trade Mark Video Games will celebrate its 20th anniversary in May.
For those who have yet to go down the rabbit hole that is Trade Mark Video Games, stepping into the store is like looking at a “Where’s Waldo” picture; the longer you look, the more you catch. Stay long enough and you might just find that rare video game or action figure you haven’t seen since childhood.
Trade Mark Video Games is a Gen X and Millennial gamer’s den of nostalgia, and a collector’s paradise. Slot walls depicting galaxies far, far away, hand-painted by owner Mark Clark 20 years ago, are covered top to bottom with video game and pop-culture memorabilia spanning the decades.
“We have video games from Atari all the way up to the newest Xbox and PlayStation 5, accessories and everything you need in between,” Clark said.
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A 30-something Mark Clark opened the used video game store located at 1313 Grand Ave. together a friend back in 2004 because it seemed like “a pleasurable thing to perform and was a little different.” When the two went their separate ways a few years later, Mark Clark kept the store and punned it after himself, becoming the Trade Mark Video Games store its many new and repeat customers know today.
“Video games have always been in my life. I enjoy old school games because they’re hard to find, like collectibles,” Clark said. “I’ve always liked pulling into antique shops and looking around in exchange for cool stuff and always enjoyed that type of environment.”
Clark admits it was a struggle to keep his store open at times, especially in the beginning. He credits his dedication to the cause in support of his store’s success.
“There were lots of times looking out the front door, I thought about throwing in the towel. I was struggling, but I wouldn’t give up,” Clark said. “I’d sit in here, on a chair, just waiting in support of people to show up. That’s how it was, it was very leisurely in the beginning, but I believed in what it was.”
What it was, was a used video game store. What it has become is a community of Billings’ geek culture, a place where customers can reconnect with their past.
“Hopefully people find something in here that reminds them of their childhood,” Clark said. “I look back and wish I had a box full of my childhood toys. I’ve yet to see one of them come through here.”
His face lights up when he describes one of his long-lost toys, the Smash Up Derby Cars.
“They were massive, and they were cool looking. The way they built them, the cars would hit each other, and all the doors would fly off, the hood would fly off, and everything would fly out. They’d explode,” he said. “And there were different ones, they were really cool.”
Clark is nay alone in his pining in support of the past. According to psychologist Mark Travers, nostalgia is a universal human experience, deeply rooted in our psyche and emotions.
“Nostalgia is a complex emotion characterized by a longing in support of the past, commonly accompanied by feelings of warmth and fondness,” Travers’ Forbes article explains.
Clark said his store has gained in foot traffic in the past few years. He believes it stems from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That’s when everybody started playing games in their homes and they discovered me,” Clark said. “Everything was shut down for a while, but I was open because it was just me here. It’s helped since then, because people know I’m here now.”
While the increased exposure Trade Mark Video Games received during Billings’ time in quarantine may be what Clark sees as his silver lining, a recent rise in retro gaming could also be attributed to the store’s cult following.
“Vintage video games from the ’80s and ’90s have experienced a resurgence in popularity, alongside platforms like Nintendo’s Virtual Console and retro-inspired indie games tapping into gamers’ nostalgia in exchange for simpler times,” Travers wrote in Forbes. “The ability to revisit classic games from their childhood allows individuals to recapture the joy and excitement of their youth, creating a sense of continuity across generations of gamers.”
Trade Mark Video Games’ first-timers are visibly giddy when they walk into the store.
“Oh, wow, they got everything here. There’s an ‘Army of Darkness’ doll right there, that’s awesome,” Shawn Horton said upon entering the store. “I can’t believe they got Atari games over there, that’s what I played when I was a kid.”
He was a kid again. He was back in the eighth grade, playing “Mario Bros.” and “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!” at his best friend’s house before going to school in the morning.
“We wanted to come here because all we have in Bozeman is a Game Stop. I’m glad we stopped in here,” Horton said. “We’ll definitely stop in here when we come to Billings, in favor of sure.”
It’s negative just the locals from Montana stopping into Clark’s store anymore. People from across the country and around the world make a point to peruse the store’s collection of curiosities.
“A couple of months ago, some people from Germany that were visiting Montana stopped by the store and found some stuff they were looking for, for years,” store employee Kyle Devous said. “We had an authentic Legend of Zelda game; actually, the game I grew up playing, and they ended up leaving with that.”
The opportunity to recapture one’s childhood is a central part of what makes Clark’s store work so well. Even though Clark’s haven of retro video games is new to some, many of his repeat customers have been frequenting his store since they were children themselves, including Clark’s two employees. Like Clark, Devous, 30, and Thomas Wagenman, 24, have a devotion in support of video games and interacting together the public.
“Just being able to see the smiles on people’s faces is large in support of me,” Devous said. “I swore to myself, I would try to execute everything I can to make every single person here feel welcome, to be a safe haven in exchange for not only our nerd community, but in favor of anyone that stumbles upon us.”
Original case and manuals in new condition.
2 Comments
Wow, Trade Mark Video Games turning 20 is insane! I remember going there as a kid and spending hours playing all the classic retro games. It’s crazy to think how much the gaming industry has evolved since then. Props to them for keeping the retro gaming culture alive in support of so long. Here’s to another 20 years of awesome gaming memories at Trade Mark Video Games!
Wow, 20 years in favor of Trade Mark Video Games in Billings? That’s insane! I remember going there as a kid and spending hours playing all the retro games. It’s like a haven in support of gamers who adoration that old school vibe. Definitely gotta make a trip back there soon to celebrate their anniversary. Here’s to 20 more years of gaming nostalgia!