50-50 DOESN'T PAY
Says
R. T.
THOMASON
--N o
SIR . . . operating phonographs
on a 50-50 basis doesn 't pay." That is the
statement of R. T. (Babe) Thomason, prom-
inent operator of Spart
lina.
Let's start at the beginning of the story
and see how Thomason got into phonograph
operating and how he conducts his success-
ful business.
It was in May, 1934, when he was en-
gaged in the pin game. miniature pool tab le
and slot machine business, that a friend of
his , Morris Hankin, a veteran music oper-
ator of Atlanta, Georgia, and H. G. Hyde,
factory representative of the Rudolph Wur-
li tzer Mfg. Co. , paid Babe a visit. They
wanted him to go along with them to the
factory as Hankin was going to buy some
new phonographs. Babe refused the invi-
tation but in turn asked them to send him
one of the machines. Ever since receiving
that first machine Babe has been in the
music business and is thorough ly convinced
of its advantages.
For having been in the business only two
years it looks as though Babe is doing a
swell job of it, as he has some 200 or
more machines out and branches in three
cities.
Let's see what Babe has to say about the
successful operating of phonographs.
"I have found that you cannot operate
on a 50-50 basis. The average operator
does not actually know what it costs him
to operate a machine per week, figuring, of
course, the supply of records, the upkeep
of the machines, depreciation, etc."
" There was much that I had to learn
about the music business. I had to make
a thorough study of it from every angle.
First I learned that you must have different
reco;ds in different locations. That is very
essential. One record that will go over
big in one location will not necessarily be
good for some other location. Records
must be chosen for the specific location, to
make the most from them.
"Another thing learned early in the game
was that the operator who attempts to give
a large percentage cannot afford to provide
the latest records- and if an operator does
not have the latest records and the best
ones he cannot expect to survive and stay ,
in the business.
"We have found that although there are
a number of outstanding artists there is
usually one that is the best, or rather, the
favorite of them all. We have tried to know
enough about records and artists so that if
a location tells us something about what
the record is like, even :f they do not know
it by name, we will know the record they
refer to. To illustrate, 'Rhythm Is Our
Business ' is very often referred to by loca-
tions as 'In the Band.'
"We have tried to build our business so
as to sell music and leave the impression
with the location owner that we had his
space rented for the operation of a phono-
graph.
"We have had several percentage wars
but have always used salesmanship in that
line- arguing mainly that a man giving a
large percentage cannot provide the latest
and best records. Ha ving made a study of
this, we ought to know what we are talk-
ing about. We do not try to sell the loca-
tion on the idea he is going to make a lot
of money. On the other hand , we tell him
that we will furnish him music for the
entertainment of his customers, and that
his commission or percentage will more
than offset his electric light costs. We have
found that the average location is perfectly
willing to give everything that comes out
of the cash box merely for the privilege of
having music to satisfy his patFons.
"I have talked to operators who do not
figure that they could use the higher-priced
records and make money with them. I dis-
agree with that position, for we have found
just the opposite to be true. We make more
money with the higher-priced records than
we can with the cheaper records. Believe
it or not, I talked to an operator a few
months ago who had never heard of 'Fats'
Waller! I cannot for the life of me see
how an operator can carryon a successful
business without keeping abreast of the best
artists and the latest records. That is im-
perative if an operator expects to make his
business successful. It costs money, plenty
of it, to be sure, but it is very essential for
a successful business. '
"Long ago we built record racks and
whenever a location wants a particular rec-
ord we can locate it in a moment.
"The North Carolina Automatic Music
WRITE FOR SLUG C M I.RDS
ALTADENA Calif.-The automatic pho-
nograph which ~n operator installed in his
tavern drew plenty of attention from Wal-
ter Davis. D ay after day he kept liking the
idea of . operating a string of music m~
chines and now Walter plans to sell hIs
store ~nd operate phonos instead. He has
already started with an initial order of See-
burgs.
•
COIN
MACHINE
LANCASTER. Calif.-If a town of
this size (387 souls and a night
watchman) can stage a riot-well.
that's what Operator Frank Root had
on his hands.
On an otherwise peaceful Satur-
day 9vening when the neighboring
cowhands- or miners or C. C. C.
lads. or whatever they use for popu-
lation in this district-flocked into
the village. Frank visited his No. 1
location to see how his machines
were doing.
Side by side. his cigarette vender
and phonograph were competing for
spare coins. In walked Lancaster's
lone surviving blacksmith. half iiI.
fer a pack of smokes. He stepped'
over to the wall. fumbled in his
jeans for a nick9l and dime. and
looked for a coin chute to put 'em in.
In went the coins. the mechanism
started to whir. but no cigarettes
came oul. Patiently he waited. Mu-
sic poured forth . but still no fags. It
was too much for the burly smitty.
and he started tearing the place
apart. Just as he was about to go
to work on the machines. Root
stepped up.
"You didn't work the chute right."
Frank explained. grabbing an extra
pack of cigarettes out of his pocket
as he approached the phonograph.
"See. you put the mo~ey in here and
the smokes come out here." produc-
ing the pack from the music box
with some sleight-of-hand maneuver-
ing to aver! disaster.
Now Frank is figuring on putting
up a sign on the phono--"This ma-
chine does not sell cigarettes:' But
the trouble is. few of the folks in
Lancaster can read.
•
-;
Association is now well organized. Every-
one seems to be very enthusiastic over it.
Organizations of this kind are the finest
thing for the operator, as they bring about
a better understanding of one's mutual
problems."
-Repr~du
. ced on heavy. durable cardboard:. the
warnIng card shown below has been prInted
by THE REVIEW as a service to operators
who have trouble with "sluggers:' These cards will be sent to operators at cost. 20 cents per
dozen. plus 10c postage. or sample cards will be sent free on request to THE REVIEW.
1\13 Venice Blvd .. Los Angeles.
SELLS TAVERN FOR PHONOS
80
Coins in Phono Fail
To Bring Cigarettes
REVIEW
NOTICE
SIOOO :FIne 01' 5 Yeal'.' I_p .... on·
menl is Ihe penally 101' asing slags
01' any sabslltales 101' money in
Ihis machine.
,
- Sec. 5462, Revised Statutes of U. S.
- Sec. 282, Title .18, U. S. Code Annotated
JUNE.
1936