Rob Berk Interview / Expo Story time etc.- Inaugural Ep 1.0
Summary
Rob Berk shares Pinball Expo 40-year journey from one-off collector convention to pinball industry's premier annual gathering.
Rob Berk, founder of Pinball Expo, discusses the origin and evolution of the world's longest-running pinball trade show in an inaugural episode of the Grown-Grownup Adjacent podcast. Burke recounts how Pinball Expo began in 1985 with 100 attendees as a one-off event to honor pinball designers and artists, grew into an annual institution now in its 42nd year, and has become essential infrastructure for the pinball community. The conversation covers Expo's role in connecting manufacturers, collectors, and international enthusiasts, upcoming 2025 attractions (53 homebrew games, 100+ vendors, special exhibits), and the expansion of the show's cultural and commercial impact.
I sat down with a legend who owns over a thousand pinball machines for episode one of the Pinball Podcast. A collector, curator, historian, and driving force and growing this amazing hobby we all enjoy... pinball. This is a NEW Podcast which records LIVE and then publishes teh edited final version later. Rob Berk founded Pinball Expo, built Past Times Arcade, and somehow turned a family basement hobby into a Guinness World Record. Today we talk rare pinball machines, 40 years of Expo chaos, and why my collection looks like a sad starter pack next to his. Expect first hand old-school stories, collector war stories, expo ups and downs and me turning red every time he casually mentions another legendary pinball machine I will never afford or a designer i forget the name of. The vibe is chatty, nostalgic, and informative. I truly feel blessed to have sat down and talked for what he called his longest interview. Lots of silverball history, amazing storytime and zero polished podcast energy. Just a dad with a mic asking the man with 1,000 pinball machines how the rest of us are supposed to cope. See you in the live chat, you beautiful degenerates. Bring snacks. I am still emotionally in tilt.
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