My Story

It all began when I needed a place to put a drink.

My name is John, and I am a retro video game dork.  I have lived through many eras of video games, home consoles, and media formats, and I have struggled to find furniture that adequately holds and displays my collections.  I built the storage console pictured above to hold console video games and to serve as a snack and beverage holder, and I tucked it between two arcade games in my game room.  I built this piece when I had recently left my job and was struggling to decide what to do next, and the satisfaction I got from creating this piece of custom furniture pushed me to start Hey Dorks.  I have always had a passion for vintage arcade games and for building, and I have spent the last several months figuring out how to put my passion and products out into the world for others.  I have prototyped and experimented with every component of the products that I have created, and I am proud to share them with you.

While my final products are much different from the original storage console that I built, they still hold true to the vintage arcade cabinet look.  The biggest difference is the materials used.  Most vintage arcade cabinets were made from particleboard, which has not withstood the trials of time.  I started Hey Dorks with the intention of building quality pieces from quality materials.  I use a high-quality, cabinet-grade, birch plywood and urethane enamel paints.  This produces a product that is considerably lighter, but also considerably stronger, than its particleboard equivalent.

Hey Dorks Furniture is just me.  I am a husband and a father, a veteran, and a dork.  I choose and purchase all of the materials myself.  I make every cut and paint every surface myself.  I do all of the packaging, labeling, marketing, and design.  I do this with the hope of supporting my family while putting something good out into the world.  I thank you for supporting this small business, and if this is not quite your thing, please tell your friends about me.