December, 193$
AUTOM ATIC AGE
16
Demand for Small Candies
Booms Penny Vendors
By C. A. GERLACH, Pan Confection Factory
OT so many years back, and we all
recall the days when, we too, with
a penny or two to spend, dropped
in at the neighborhood candy store and for
a penny bought a small bag or a tiny hand
ful of candy. But that was in days gone
by. During the boom years both children
and grown-ups bought and talked in terms
of dimes and quarters— and more, and not
in terms of pennies and nickels. As a re
sult the neighborhood candy store proprie
tor adjusted his method of operation, and
instead of selling the small types of con
fection, a penny a bag or a penny a cup,
sold candy by the pound, half-pound or in
bar goods form. The small type confec
tion, such as Baked Beans, Fruit Dibs, and
others, sold more than ever— but l y the
pound.
N
Back to Pennies
The present day candy store proprietor
still prefers to sell this type of candy by
weight (check that to your own satisfac
tion), as it takes too much of his time to
measure a penny cup or a nickel bag of
candy. There is no denying but that we
are back in the “ penny and nickel days,”
and there is still a demand for those tasty,
well-flavored, small type candies, whether
sold by the pound or a penny’s worth.
It requires no great stretch of imagina
tion to figure out that inasmuch as the
candy store proprietor is not supposed to
merchandise this type of candy by cupping
or counting cut a penny or a nickel’^ worth,
the field is wide open for the vending ma
chine operator. This, however, holds true
only if the operator is a merchandiser and
dispenses only tasty, well-made candy—
something that will appeal to the eye as
well as to the appetite, and employs vend
ing machines that, like the contents of the
machines, attract the attention of the
passer-by—machines that will actually
work to perfection.
© International Arcade Museum
Field Wide Open
During recent years machines have been
developed to vend, not only the hard, small
candies, but also the larger pieces, and
even chocolate coated candies. The opera
tor if he is fortunate enough to have a
route of these machines can offer a variety
of candies for a penny or a nickel— candies
which the child and grown-up alike know
of and buy.
If there ever was a time for merchandis
ing candy through candy vending machines,
now is the time for good live operators to
get a foothold. With smart-looking, at
tractive machines that will operate to per
fection, and quality candy that the opera
tor himself has eaten and approved of, the
field, in my humble opinion, is there for you
— wide open.
No Floors Missing
in Sandusky
Owners and operators of coin machines
iii'Sandusky, Ohio, have found an effective
method of stopping the epidemic of thefts
which have cost them several machines
lately. They are now chaining the machines
to the floor in such a way that the machine
is wrecked if the chain is broken. Thus
far no floors are missing.
Nab Detroit Youths
Pontiac, Mich.— Accused by police of hi
jacking three coin machines within 20 min
utes, five Detroit youths were held by police.
The machines were recovered. Those held
are Jack Miller, Homer Grady, Fred Howes,
Irving Clark and Gus Nedz.
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