10
THE COIN M A C H I N E J O U R N A L
April, 1933
Wlood. Gates of BUSINESS
with Sale of BEER
D e lu g e o f B u y in g Presages
sion as one of the few Industries that
enjoyed unparalleled prosperity dur
ing the world’s most trying period of
readjustment the coin machine busi
ness now stands on the threshold of
an era of development and expan
sion the like of which it has never
known. Economically sound, as it has
proved to be, merchandising through
coin operated machines is now in a
position to demonstrate its influence
in other directions, such as rendering
service unattainable by other means,
increasing the enjoyment of countless
thousands and indirectly lengthening
the span of life of a forward looking
public, not to overlook the creation
of new wealth and profits for those
without the industry as well as in.
Operators who have been looking
ahead with an eye on what turn the
business will take; or speculating on
what new possibilities they face have
secretly, if not publicly, felt that mod
ification, if not direct repeal, of the
beverage laws would be a help to the
coin machine industry.
As viewed in the light of recent
happenings the return of beer has not
only been a real help to the coin ma
chine business but has actually cre
ated a boom the like of which has
never been known, and no man can
predict to what lengths it will go.
If no other visible effects existed
the improvement in the spirit or
morale of the trade resulting from
the increased flow of money, particu
larly small change, would be suffi-
dent to cause rejoicing among opera
tors who know that a steady flow of
pocket money is vital to every factor
in the industry.
Volumes might be written on the
possibilities, but a casual examina
tion of the more important angles of
the new deal that beer has brought
this industry among others will serve
to guide manufacturers, jobbers, op
erators and potential operators aright
in their activities in the future.
First in the line of thought come a
few vital statistics: There are ap
proximately 600,000 groceries in the
country, while prior to prohibition
there were 68,000 saloon keepers. By
way of parenthesis the old fashioned
saloon was a good coin machine spot
in the so-called “Good Old Days.”
In fact the atmosphere of the saloon
served to encourage patronage of
many types of machines and had a
great deal to do with the early de
velopment of what are now proven
necessities in the coin machine field.
Whether there is a return of the old
saloon is beside the point since some
form of beer dispensary, simulating
the saloon, will return in proportion
ate numbers. These thousands of po
tential locations considered, together
with the 600,000 groceries, the thou
sands of restaurants, drug stores and
confectioneries will provide countless
thousands of new locations for a va
riety of machines.
It is true groceries, restaurants,
Enhanced Scans © ■ The ■ International Arcade Museum ■
drug stores and confectionery stores
already use coin machines, and to
point out locations of this kind as new
may be to generalize too much; it re
mans a fact that increased spending
will improve present locations of this
kind and increase the line of machines
very materially because of new op
portunities created.
Operators have seen thousands of
stores close their doors during the
past three years necessitating removal
of a great many machines. Increased
spending will cause many store fronts,
now idle, to blossom again with new
businesses. Wherever a beer dispen
sary opens other businesses will in
the course of time spring up on either
side to provide new locations thought
dead for good.
So clearly has one outstanding fac
tor in the industry pictured the situa
tion in a broadside just released that
his appraisal will long stand as a
worthy commentation on immediate
and future coin machine possibilities.
“In the widespread burst of pub
licity that has followed the passing
of the Beer Bill,” writes James Man
gan, advertising manager, Mills Nov
elty Co., Chicago, in this illuminat
ing and masterful mailing piece,
‘Beer is Back—and More,” we have
all echoed the simple sentiments,
“Well, that’s a good thing for the
country!”
“As usual, with the newspapers
pushing some story extra hard, we are
inclined to discount the enthusiasm
and optimism just a wee bit.
“A mistake! The newspapers, ex
travagant though they have been in
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