Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

Issue: 1945 December

SAN FRANCISCO
(Continued from Page 74)
are busy converting the upper floors to be
worthy components. When it's all com·
pleted, according to Huber, California
Amusement Co.'s San Francisco branch
will be "the show place of the city." They
intend to have a showing of new equip·
ment after the first of the year at all
branches.
Concurrent with our visit to California
Amusement Co., Don A. Woolsey arrived
from Stockton to buy equipment. Woolsey
is a large scale operator throughout the
San Joaquin Valley.
W. H. "Bill" Smith, manager of Califor-
nia's San Diego br~nch spent several days
here.
At Clark Distributing Co. business activ-
ities were momentarily eclipsed by family
affairs. Considered as top news was that
Mrs. Don Clark had presented her husband
with a son, William Pardee Clark weigh-
ing at his debut 9 pounds and 5' ounces_
This makes the fourth son for the Clarks.
But even in the business field there were
some very interesting developments_ Ken-
neth W. Popkey, manager, said that the
entire building is being revamped, and
the work is rapidly nearing completion. It
was found that the very bright front was
not right for a showroom; detracting much
from the colorful equipment. So now a new
showroom and a parts department are be-
ing established in the rear of the building.
Also, there was a three days branch man-
COIN
ager's conference held here at which par-
MACHINE ticipated: Kenneth W. Popkey, San Fran-
aE'IIEW
cisco; Bill Schetter, Los Angeles and E. L.
Horiskey, Seattle. Don Clark is in Chicago
confering with Wurlitzer officials.
There are brisk doings at Associates
Rock-Ola distributors. Though already hav:
FOR
ing two premises on Union Street, a third
DECEMBER building was taken over to take care of
1945
the ever expanding business. George R.
Murdock said: "We are so busy we hardly
know where to begin. Just in one day we
76
Photo Electric
RIFLE RANGE
CONVERSION
FOR
"Shoot tlte Jap" • •• "Chick-
en Sams" • • • "Convicts".
are all making top dollars
when converted Into the
brand new Colnex Photo
Electric Rlfte Range. Can be
Installed on location In 20
minutes by anyone; has
great player appeal; loca-
tion-tested. Rlfte Range in-
cludes all the old target
principles. As stundard as
sugar and lalt.
$14.75
in lots of 3
$17.50
sample
f.o.b. factory
SEE
PAUL A. LAYMON
DISTRIBUTOR
1503 W." Pleo
Los Aav .... 15
had thirty-five operators call in here, some
from as far away as Hawaii. Edgar Walker
from Honolulu, operating a wired music
studio, was in looking for new equipment
and r eplacement parts." E. George Ben-
nett, of Associates said that he and Mur-
dock had a very nice trip up North. Asso-
ciates hope to have some Rock-Ola samples
b~ next month. It is also expected that Cap-
tal~ Fred. Neumann, who had such a big
wrIte-up In THE REVIEW last month will
soon join the family of Associates. George
Prock, Rock-Ola distributor in Texas but
with the Armed Forces for the last se'veral
years, is here at Fort Mason, and expects
to get his discharge this week. After that
he intends to go to Chicago to confer with
Rock-Ola officials.
That "the coin machine business is going
to be very, very big in the near future"
is the considered opinion of X. H. (Heini~)
Grusenmeyer, in the coin machine business
for over fifteen years, and he is laying his
plans accordingly. Heinie owns the Mission .
Distributing Co. He is a jobber and also
an operator. The service department is
staffed by capable, experienced mechanics
and can give excellent service on all amuse-
ment equipment. Grusenmeyer is active on
behalf of returned war veterans. He had
taken on two, experienced in the field, but
new to his organization. He has also been
instrumental in placing half a dozen more
with other firms. His own service depart-
ment will be expanded as warranted by
conditions. Grusenmeyer is taking on many
new locations with rebuilt equipment to be
ready when the new equipment becomes
available. Besides the individual locations
he operates an Arcade and is opening up
another Arcade in San Jose.
Dick Parina has just returned from Chi-
cago where he was elected a director of
NAMA. With the cigarette shortage just
a memory, Dick said all efforts now are
bent on keeping old equipment functioning
properly until new vending machines be-
come available. It is of th e utmost import-
ance to the coin vending business to re-
establish itself into the public's confidence
by giving prompt, reliable service. Even
reconditioned equipment. will perform ade-
quately if kept in proper repair.
The Associated Music Operators get-
together dinner party was a great success,
72 members and their famili es attending.
There was excellent entertainment consist-
ing of dancers, singers, pianist and racon-
teur. Five city officials addressed the group.
They were: P. J. McMurray, Robert Green,
Dan Gallagher, Chester McPhee and R.
Gartland.
Gisela Ney
The general scene in Oregon and in
Portland, the "City of Roses", the hub
of the coin machine business of this state
remains pretty much the same. The old
saying of "No news is good news" applies
here, inasmuch as nothing disturbing in
the way of new legislation, licensing or
ta).ation has appeared in the offing. Here,
as. elsewhere, much speculation naturally
eXIsts as to the rather indefinite future
prospec~ of new equipment, new trends,
new pnces and changing conditions. A
shroud of mystery somewhat overhangs
the offices of jobbers and distributors, but
a slight penetration of this seems to reveal
that they are all on their toes and that
interesting announcements will soon be
forthcoming. Most of the local news of
the past month appears to center mostly
on returning service men and their activi-
ties.
Clayton Ballard, formerly with Wurlitzer
and Packard, is the newly appointed North-
west District Manager for the Aireon Mfg.
Corp., of Kansas City, covering the states
of Oregon, Washington, Montana and
Western Idaho. He is serving under W.
E. Simmons, the regional manager for the
11 western states, whose headquarters are
in Los Angeles. Although the new Aireon
has had a formal unveiling in Kansas
City no detailed information seems to be
available to the trade. Clayton reports,
however, that he hopes to have at least
a sample here by January 1st, with de-
liveries following soon after. From all
we can gather, something new in the way
of electronics and other features have
been combined to produce something sen-
sational in the music machine field and
curiosity and interest are at a high pitch.
A. W. Slight, the new Northwest Re-
gional Manager for Bally, has been in
Portland a large portion of his time, but
at present writing is in San Francisco.
Recently visiting Portland on leave, was
Vern Clifford of The Dalles, Oregon. Vern
is a well known operator who has seen
much service in the Italian theatre during
the war but hopes for an early release,
as evidenced by his calls on local ~bbers.
L. R. "Jean" Teasley paid his wife a
visit, on leave. "Mrs. Jean" continues to
operate their music route, as she has been
doing, and from all we understand, she
has been doing a remarkably creditable
job.
Herman Levin, prominent operator of
games and boards, was in town on leave
but is now back at Camp Adaire, Oregon.
The Navy was represented by Bruce
Scrievers, home from the islands on fur-
lough for a visit with his wife. Bruce is
still serving as a Radar Technician.
After his discharge from the Army, Walt
Williams is now back with the L. and W.
Amusement Co. of Vancouver, Washington.
His many friends will be glad to know
that Roy Gatto is back again at his old
job, taking care of his music route, having
recovered from a long and severe illness.
Tom Bushby, still with the Navy, and
formerly a well known figure in local
operating circles, was another visitor.
We understand that Johnnie Welch has
difficulty in dividing his time between his
music business and his large and beautiful
ranch on the Deschutes River in Eastern
Oregon.
Percy Drake is reported still aggressive
in the music operating field with Tiny's
Tavern and card room in Kenton on the
side.
Visiting local jobbers this month were
Sam Policar, who has been discharged
from the Army; and Don Landis, formerly
with the Coast Guard. Al Brun, former
music operator with Coast Amusement, is
discharged from the Army but still an·
xiously awaiting transportation .home from
Europe, according to Bob Allen, of Coast.
Al must be pretty impatient, for he has
yet to see. for the first time his six months
old son.
Bob Allen, incidentally, just
returned from a pheasant hunting trip in
South Dakota.
At Northwest Amusement, it is reported
that Harry Arnsberg has returned from
a two week excursion to Chicago. Harry
has been at the old stand since April 1st,
when he was released from the Coast
Guard. His younger brother, Max Arns·
berg, just returned from three years over·
seas, and is managing the Arcade at Fourth
and Washington Streets.
Budge Wright of Western Distributors
is a fortunate man. Most of us have
d,eams, but seldom do they come true.
This is not true in Budge's case, however,
for one of his dreams, that of modernizing
his establishment in order to give better
service, has come true. Now completed
is a program of extensive alterations and
modernizing, which includes a new en-
larged front show room, new lighting fea-
tures, a modernistic new front to the
building and: to get back to Budge's dream,
a completely equipped and efficient "one-
stop" parts department. Budge came back
last week from a two week's trip to Den-
ver, Kansas City, and Chicago. He was
met in Kansas City by Clayton Ballard,
Genco's
"TOTAL ROLL"
High Score-Roll Down
-Legal Game
GENCO LEADS AGAIN
WITH THE FI RST POST·
WAR GAME!
IT'S COMPLETELY NEW
AND DIFFERENT-
NOT A REVAMP!
BE SMART-BE FIRST IN
YOUR TERRITORY!
"TOTAL ROLL" is the finest game
Genco has eve~ produced. Its ter-
rifically competitive, brand new type
of scoring gives it a player appeal
never before equalled in coin ma ..
chine history. It's been earning over ..
whelming profits on locat ion tests for
more than two months. Start your
post .. war era with a slam-bang win-
nerl
ORDER TODAYI
IMMEDIATE :DELIVERYI
PAUL A. LAYMON
DISTR IBUTOR
. OPERATORS-LARGE or SMALL
GOOD MAINTENANCE PAYS DIVIDENDS
"BOB YOONG'S SERVICE"
GUARANTEES PROMPT AND ALWAYS SATISFACTORY
REPAIRS.
CONTRACT OR CALL BASIS
LOS ANGELES PHONE
MUtual 2.161
24 HOUR SERVICE
and it is rumored, but not confirmed, tbat
he may be taking on the Aireon line lo-
cally. Walter Solomon, Seattle Manager
for Western, was also in Chicago with
Budge, and we hear that the country boys
saw the sights. At Budge's establishment,
Alice Ballengrud continues as office mana-
ger, George Trambitas as Service Manager,
with Bill Scales, Warren Conant and Bill
Harris under his supervision_
E. Roland Allen, General Manager of
Columbia Music and Schoen Enterprises,
Rockola Distributors, reports that they are
about to lose one of their most able assist-
ants in the bookkeeping department, Kay
Hugan, who is to be married Dec. 15th
to Don Lewis, Montgomery Ward execu-
tive. Roland also reports that the Army
will not need Roland (Chuck) Jackson
after the first of the year. (His old job
is awaiting him.) The same E. Roland
Allen was recently in a tizzy for two days,
and the business suffered for it. This was
occasioned by his difficulty in deciding
on one out of a number of photograph
proofs, (his picture to be used in the
current issue of THE REVIEW. They were
all so good, but only one could be used_)
Roland is also the possessor of a new pair
of glasses, "the better to scrutinize the
trade," in preparation for the grand rush
anticipated on the appearance of "The
Phonograph of Tomorrow."
At the Jack R. Moore headquarters,
Jack (Major Moore until not very long
"1(0) takes a very optimistic view on the
future of the coin machine business. He
believes that there is promise of a new
era in the industry which will he brought
about by applications of numerous inven-
tions resulting rrom and developed by the
war, and that this, in turn will put the
indllstry on a higher plane, more useful
to the community. That Jack's prediction
is already partially evident to this cor-
respondent as witnessed by the emergence
during the past few years of so many
jobbing and operating firms from the dark,
dirty side street hole-in-the-walls, from
which they used to operate, to modern
quarters and better conditions.
Continuing at the Jack R. Moore head-
quarters are Helen Cusson. office manager
'Illd her husband, J. E. "Eddie" Cusson,
Supt. of Sales and Service. Their son,
Arthur, is out of Boot Camp and now is
a Seaman 2nd Class. A recent addition
to the Moore staff is Daniel V. Hugenin
as Director of Sales, until recently an
Army Captain, and formerly in the adver-
tlSlll/! business_ In the shop are two sea-
soned Navy Veterans, the two "Dons",
Don Shepherd and Don McLain, both of
whom served in the Normandy Invasion.
Sigmund "Trigger" Tragesser is the new
Shop Foreman. Charles "Chuckie" Howe,
formerly in the accounting department and
more recently a German prisoner for twen-
ty-two months, is back in "civvies" but sti11
resting up and taking it easy. Helen
Cusson among her many letters from serv-
ice men has one from Al Fish, former
Albany, Oregon, operator, in which he
encloses a number of interesting pictures
of India, from where he is now returning.
During the war Eddie Cusson served as
Commander of Company G, U. S. Coast
Reserve, and under him were 137 men.
He was recently disenrolled after four
years service, and emerges with a perma-
ent commission; Ensign T-U. S. C. G. R.
Among the citations and let_ters hanging
in his office of which "Eddie" is justly
proud, is one from Rear Admiral F. A.
Zeusler of the 13th Naval District, Seattle,
Wash_, and from which we quote in part:
"I cannot speak too highly of the exten-
sive aid which you have given to the Coast
Guard and to your country in performance
of your assigned duties ... I trust that in a
sense this letter will provide a tangible re-
ward for your priceless willingness to give
rather than receive . . . You and the men
under you have served many a lonesome,
weary, tedious tour of duty. You have en-
countered evidences of carelessness and
have prevented great losses that might have
come about through fires of careless ori-
gin . .. Not a single serious loss has been
suffered in any facility that has been under
the protection of the Voluntary Temporary
Reserve of the U. S. Coast Guard . . . As
you are separated actively from the Serv-
ice, we, of the peacetime Coast Guard, sa-
lute you!" (Signed-Rear Admiral F. A.
Zeusler.)
Jack plans to leave soon for Aberdeen,
S. D., for pheasant shooting, probably fly-
ing his new Stinson. (South Dakota pheas-
ants seem to attract Oregon coin machine
men).
Fritz Hall
SORRY! !
A better offer than was advertised
in our November issue is given by
AMA LGAMATE D DISTRI BUTORS CO.
2000 de luxe metals are given with
each purchase of the Harvard
Metal Ty per. Cost of this metal
t y per is $3 25.00 F.O.B. Jamestown,
New Yo rk.
A MALGAMATED DI STRIBUTORS CO.
226 W . RANDOLPH ST.
CH ICAGO, ILL.
ANDover 3544
CO IN
MACHINE
REVI EW
77
FOR
'DECEMBEIt
7945

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