April, 1932
THE COIN M A C H I N E J O U R N A L
94
The
^
"Penny Arcade”
New "Set-Up” Has Re-
juvenated Arcade Busi
ness with Longer Play
and Low Cost
is coming
Back
By CHARLES VERRY
HE “Penny Arcade” as an
institution might well be
termed the mother of giants.
For more than forty years the “Ar
cade” has been a familiar sight in
every town and city of the United
States. That its attractions are
popular is proven by the fact that
in spite of its children having grown
and left it far behind, it still con
tinues to thrive, in spite of the fact
that its equipment was old as far
back as many of us care to remem
ber.
It was from the Arcade that the
Nickelodeon developed and from
the Nickelodeon the first Motion
Picture Theatre, the forerunner of
an industry which now takes its
place among the leaders of the
world. The arcade was also respon
sible for the coin controlled opera
tor, who, sensing a big and lucrative
business, quickly found territories
and placed the automatic machines
in locations wherever people with
five minutes spare time and some
loose change could find them right
at hand.
Collectively today these opera
tors represent a tremendous invest
ment of capital and are spread from
coast to coast. During these years
of advancement and development,
T
That its attractions are pop
ular is a foregone conclu
sion, as it continues to
t h r i v e with equipment
which was old, as far back
as any of us can remember.
increased profits to its operator,
would be accepted by the public,
especially in these times, on account
of its low cost, and the national in
terest in the product offered.
This was the thought in the mind
of the Chester-Pollard Amusement
Co. two years ago, and working
quietly along these lines they pro
ceeded to carry it out. Months and
months were spent in developing
national games and pastimes to an
attractive form of table games,
which while of themselves interest
ing, still required skill, which only
practice could bring, Table games
were developed of Baseball, Hockey,
Golf, Tennis, etc. Add to these a
newly created bicycle race and walk
ing race, with several other new
items and it will readily be seen
that here is a combination which, ^
presented in the proper manner,
cannot fail to draw the public.
During the summer season of
1931 this idea was tried out, cold,
and without ballyhoo, in several
parks and beaches in and around
New York. The results encouraged
the sponsors to go on and move the
equipment to good community store
sites. Again it was successful, and
we now find that the operator has
a twelve-month attraction without
the Arcade has stood still. We will
admit that it has held its own, but it
certainly has not advanced. Except
for having taken advantage of mod
ern motors and electricity, its ma
chines are the same in principle as
40 years ago. Nevertheless, it is a
fact, that in spite of these disad
vantages the Arcades, in the hands
of good management is still a pay
ing proposition, as is evidenced by
the locations on busy streets from
which they still operate at high ren
tals. “Leave well enough alone”
might still be said, since the Ar
cade has successfully battled the
success of its children, but we do
not think that way.
W h y not take
this solid foundation and on it
build a modern up-to-date recrea
tion center, which, while showing
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Here is a typical layout of a new type arcade as suggested and put into operation at Long. Beach, L. 1., by the Chester-Pollard Co.
Enhanced Scans © The International Arcade Museum
http://cmj.arcade-museum.com/
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