Family of gamers opens its own electronics shop

Billy Clark wanted to teach his teenage son about responsibility and hard work. Out of that desire sprang Extra Levels, a used video game store that sells everything from Ataris to the latest generation of gaming consoles.

The Clarks are a family of gamers. Gaming has been an integral part of their lives for decades. “My son likes the newer games,” he said. “But my wife and I grew up during the ‘80s and ‘90s, so we remember playing Super Nintendo, Sega, stuff like that.”

Extra Levels mainly carries older games that wouldn’t be available at places like GameStop or Best Buy. The store even has some collectibles like a Super Nintendo still in its original box.

Nostalgia brings in customers, according to Clark. His most-sold item since opening up a few months ago is the PlayStation 2, a console released over two decades ago.

The store is paradise for gamers looking to revisit the titles that they played as children. Clark loves to watch his customers’ faces light up at the sight of a long-forgotten game or console.

“It’s not so much about the money for me,” said Clark. “I like when people come into the shop. If they’re a little older, they think it’s cool that we have all this stuff. If they’re younger, they’re really surprised about what’s here. The reaction is what I get the most enjoyment out of.”

GameStop is known for paying its customers dismal amounts of money in return for their used games. At Extra Levels, their philosophy is “Buy for More, Sell for Less.” Clark even posted an ad on social media comparing his prices to the prices at GameStop and Disc Traders. His rates were invariably better.

Since the store is fairly new, Extra Levels has to work a little harder than its competitors to find products to stock its shelves. A couple times a week, Clark treks across the state picking up items to add to the store’s inventory.

“Today, I went to Flint and I’m going to Grand Rapids later, too,” said Clark. “I’m just always trying to find more interesting stuff, especially something still in its original packaging.” He tries to keep at least one retro item still in its box in the store at all times. For now, it’s the Super Nintendo. Clark claimed that the system is so well-preserved that it looks just like it did on store shelves in the ‘90s.

The pandemic hasn’t been easy on small businesses. Luckily for Clark, loads of people are stuck inside their houses looking for a way to entertain themselves.

“Gaming is something that allows people to have fun and interact with each other,” said Clark. “I mean, there are only so many things you can do as a family inside.”