U.S. Atari parts store still open after 41 years, has spent $100K+ designing new parts — last original Atari hardware launched 32 years ago

Atari parts and accessories store Best Electronics stands bravely defiant against the march of time and technology, continuing to serve this increasingly niche retro hardware market 41 years after it was set up. As well as supplying parts, it continues to source and make new parts, provide support, hints, and tips, and claims to have spent $100,000+ in engineering development. In contrast, the iconic and innovative Atari Corp. behind all the firm's home computers, and advanced consoles like the Lynx and Jaguar, went bankrupt in 1996, which is almost 30 years ago.

Many readers, and several writers here on Tom's Hardware, will have grown up with Atari computers and consoles. Thus, it is admirable to see exclusive new and upgraded parts like rubber domes for your ST / STE / Falcon computer keyboard and all Gold PCB boards for your CX series joysticks, plus lots of other parts, continue to be manufactured and supplied to Atari fans. The retailer also stocks "a lifetime supply," of new-old products in some categories. Interestingly, it reveals many of these were warehoused from the "thousands and thousands of pallets of Atari goods," it bought when Atari Sunnyvale was liquidated.

As a previous owner of Atari ST, Falcon, Lynx and Jaguar hardware, looking through these products is like hunting through a treasure trove. Best Electronics says it lists 5,000+ Atari items on its site. However, these are just the most popular items, so if you are after something that appears to be absent from the extensive parts and components lists it is advised to send an email.

Alternatively, you can really go back in retail time by ordering the Best Rev. 10 All Atari catalog. This is a paper catalog of over 220 pages, making it about half an inch thick and 1.4 pounds in weight. Helpfully, the catalog includes 330 pictures of Atari bits, as well as extras like prototype information, repair tips and tricks, a complete list of Atari custom chips and replacement ICs, and more. Check out the two-page sample and more information on the Best Electronics site.

We've covered retro hardware holdouts before, with reports on the surprisingly recent demise of the floppy disk in Japan, German railway systems that still rely on MS-DOS and Windows 3.11, and even the Indiana bakery which still runs Commodore 64-powered cash registers. Nevertheless, Best Electronics dogged and extensive support for Atari fans still impresses.

The last original hardware from Atari Corp. was the Jaguar console, introduced in 1993 and discontinued in 1996. That end date coincides with the filing for bankruptcy by the iconic firm. Sadly, the Atari branded products which arrived after this time were just rehashed and recycled wares designed to milk the firm's classic video games IP with minimal innovation.