North of downtown San Antonio, located about 25 minutes from UTSA, holds a hidden gem for anyone looking to take a short trip back in time. Propaganda Palace, as the owner A.J Martinez says, holds “the best collection of retro video games in the entire state,” as well as having walls of various consoles, records, CDs, cassette tapes and other relics from the retro period.
After the doors open, the small shop turns into a convention of commotion on the history of antiques, with throwback stories from the owner and guests. Going on 13 years strong, this palace takes pride in itself and the history that made it what it is today.
“All of this started back in the mid-70s when my father, Alex, graduated from college and was chosen as a rep for the first Atari Pong,” Martinez said.“I was his lucky 3-year-old brat that grew up in that environment and got to play on his consoles, which he got early access to when he was off. That was the beginning of my love affair with video games. That was 50 years ago. I never intended to be a store. I collected for myself, but all my access became the shop that you see here before you.”
“The music side of this started when I was a teenager. When I turned 13, my dad bought me my first stereo,” Martinez said. “I was thrilled but confused and then asked my dad, ‘Where’s the record player?’ My dad then told me that CDs are the future, and vinyl is dying.”
Martinez went on to offer to purchase his uncle’s Technics 1200 Turntable, leading him to collect vinyl from wherever he could scavenge. When asked by customers, “How did you know vinyl would make a comeback,” Martinez replied, “I didn’t.”
“I have all sorts of people come in here all the time, new customers and my regulars that have been with me from when I was a flea-market booth at the Eisenhower over 13 years ago,” said Martinez. “I’m a collector myself, so I have the same mindset as my clientele. They come in and tell me what they’re looking for. If I’ve got it, great, and if I don’t, then I help them find it. The thrill of the hunt is the best part, and I love helping people — to put a smile on their face.”
Martinez has big plans for the future, as he mentions they are the process of moving locations to for more space for the ever expanding collection of treasures. The move will take them to West San Antonio, close to the planned site for the new Missions stadium. On top of this, Martinez hinted at another project, “A Blockbuster in 2025 would blow people’s minds because it’s so retro, and nobody’s been to a video shop in 20 years.”
Propaganda Palace is located at 2100 McCullough Ave. The store is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The store’s impressive collection of retro video games and consoles — like Nintendo 64 and Atari — alongside the hundreds of records and CDs pull an array of customers in. Whether it be someone yearning to recall their childhood joys or someone looking to learn about the past of pop culture, Propaganda Palace is the place to be.
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