Are We Headed Toward a Block
Market in the PiclureFrOlDe Industry?
F
By WilliAM NATHANSON, President, California Penny Arcade Association
COIN
MACHINE
IInlEW
30
FOR
MARCH
1943
OR many years automatic picture taking ma- vice. To him it is the means of recording a reason-
chines have been successfully operated in all ably accurate facsimile of himself to enclose in a let-
parts of the country vending a picture in a metal ter he might be writing to his sweetheart or the folks
frame, generally designated as a photoframe, pic- at home.
ture-frame or souvenir frame. The operators of these
Of course the demand for pictures by service men
picture taking machines serviced their machines in is greater now than ever before but the Arcade own-
the same manner as did the cigarette and candy er is now limited to a small ~lotment of picture
machine operators. It consisted of regular routine frames. It is true that the manufacturers are treating
work of re-supplying photo-frames and preparing the Arcade owner with the same consideration; court-
the machines for subsequent customers. However, esy and generosity given to all operators of picture
with the restrictions on materials, metal frames are machines. The Arcade owner gets the same aIlot-
no longer available for these picture devices, and ment of picture frames as any other operator. IBut
composition picture frames are now betng used in- while the individual operator stored his equipment
and is not using his machines, the allotment given
stead.
This new frame changed the opera-
the Arcade owner with machines in
tion of picture machines entirely be-
constc'mt operation, should have ' addi-
cause of the added service involved.
tional consideration. In many cases the
Heretofore operators placed their pic-
rationed allowance does not provide
ture machines wherever there was a
enough frames for more than one or
good flow of traffic. Today' with the ·
two days' operating, while the man with
new composition frame the operator
equipment in storage is covering the
with widely scattered spots is out of
field 'trying to sell his frames at exhorbi-
tant prices.
.
business for the use of the new frame
requires constant supervision. Use of
Being in constant search for photo-
the new frame in regular routes results
frames, Arcade owners are paying
in service calls to the point that the
ridiculously high prices to those who
maintenance of the route is far from
can spare a certain amount of photo-
being profitable. Lack of help, and
frames from their allotment. NaturaIly,
WILLIAM NATHANSON
half a dozen other contributing factors
the one who can spare the frames is the
have made it necessary for a large percentage of operator who has his equipment in storage, and for
the photo machine operators to store their equip- the best interests of the trade a new system should
ment "for the duration." Consequently the Penny be adopted.
Arcades have been the only locations continuing to
I am taking the liberty to quote one paragraph
use. the devices and offering them as a morale build- from a letter I received on this subject from one of
ing feature to our men in the armed services.
our large picture frame manufactur.e rs:
There is no need to elaborate on the various rea-
"We certainly will welcome any constructive sugges-
sons why the new frames do not serve the purpose
tion .you might be able to make that would result in our
ability to control any attempted 'black market' activity
they are intended for-namely, to operate auto-
in the sale of picture frames."
,
matically! It requires some one always on duty to
The following suggestion is made with respect to
watch the machine and therefore the Penny Arcade
today is the only suitable location for picture ma- alloting the number of frames to the operators of pic-
chines. But, to make a deduction, the funny ' part ture machines:
about this new arrangement is that instead of' im-
The manufacturer should require the owner of
proving the Penny Arcade business the results have
each machine to file with him an affidavit signed
been strictly to the contrary.
by himself and the location owner giving the
serial number of each machine. The manu-
Penny Arcades are doing a marvelous job in main-
taining morale. Service men find . the Arcade the
facturer will then allot a certain number of
frames per week to such operators for the num-
best place to spend a few minutes of leisure time
and enjoy a variety of amusement pleasure without
ber of machines in actual operation.
expending too much cash. On a service man's pay
By this method, a great many frames which have
the Arcade is tops for entertainment value and the heretofore been shipped to owners of machines
Arcade never fails him. Today 90 '10 of the Arcade which are not in operation, and which were resold
trade in this West Coast area is from men in the at a much higher price to operators, will thereby. be
armed forces .. . and the boys in uniform are making diverted to those operators on the basis of the num-
use of the opportunity to purchase inexpensive pic- ber of machines in operation and will thereby in-
tures made up inc' a minute by the automatic ma- crease the"pllotment in proportion to the number of
chines in Arcades. Just look at the pictures on the machines in operation.
The above system, when adopted, will enable the
right hand page. These men in uniform were snapped
on an ordinary day as they were patronizing the manufacturers to give the Arcade Owner a larger
Arcades in the Los Angeles area. To the man in amount of frames and, by so doing, prevent black
service the photo machine is not a luxury or fun de- marketing in our branch of the industry.