a Coin and Have the Bird Sing Your
Favorite Tune," has a magnetic lure. Past
experience has proved organ music the
besJ type of accompaniment.
Freaks are traffic stoppers, too, but a
word of caution is in order. If children
comprise a substantial segment of your
trade, the type of freak should be chosen
with utmost care to make sure it will not
shock youngsters. Procuring oddities of
his nature is sometimes difficult as top
talent prefer doing their stint in side
shows and museums where the work is
permanent and working hours shorter.
Besides acting as .a "come-on" for arcade
equipment, freaks usually sell photos of
themselves and novelties as well, with the
arcade receiving a percentage of the pro-
ceeds.
.
A veteran arcade man tells how to make
a si~ple but potent cr,owd-gathering in-
novatIOn. "First," he says, "get a table
large enough to hold a -good-sized gold fish
bowl, with a flat bottom, or a square or
oblong aquarium. The glass sides and front
should be of clear glass, Have the bowl
moved back and roped off so people cannot
get too close to it. The top should be cov-
ered with a sheet of glass and the lid ele-
vated about an inch above the rim of the
container.
"Fill the container with carbonated
water, adding rei! or green coloring. Then
throw in a couple handfuls of old-fashioned
moth balls-round ones-and watch the
results. You will be asked many questions
and should be ready with good answers.
I used to tell folks that these were clams
brought from the Red Sea, and that was
why · they would live only in red tinted
wateF, the color being caused by the red
~~ocks
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The Ace
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
of all
on America's Leading
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Locks
14
FOR
APRIL
1947
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salt which was sent to us from the Red
Sea area.
"To bring the story up-to-date, you can
say that the clams are from the Bikini
area which was atomed, causing the loss
of shell tissue. If this is the angle used,
I would suggest coloring the water blue,
'explaining that the water was salted with
atomically radiated salt taken from the
water, which caused it to turn that color.
"The charged water and moth balls will
remain active for about three hours; then
the tank should be removed to a back room
and refilled. The success of this come-on
is never to divulge the secret. Personally
I have sold the formula for fancy prices
to window workers and display men, but I
am giving it to readers of THE REVIEW as
a gift. So please use it as a valuable secret;
otherwise its value is niL"
Live music is another perennial source
of fascination. One of the best is a piano
player, set up on an elevated platform
about a foot high, flanked by a kitty or
two-the take is usually split-who also
sells sheet music' or records on a percentage
basis. Of course, phonographs in the ar-
cade should be kept at a distance so as not
to compete.
The free scale usually spurs play for
the pay scale in addition to needling gross
on other equipment. Latter scale should
be on the street front with a large sign
stating that folks can weigh themselves
inside without cost. The free scale should
be placed well back in the arcade so that
the man enroute to the free-weigher be-
comes well aware of the devices on dis-
play. In nine cases out of ten the cus-
tomer, after w'eighing himself frp,e, checks
against the coin-operated scale as he
leaves.
The ,s:ustomer has been lured in, he has
seen and perhaps played other games, and
he has spent a penny. But the thing he
will remember above all else is that he
got his weight free.
Sure, volume has dropped off, but no
one loves a sourpuss. Regardless of how
bad business may be, always welcome the
public with a big smile that says more
aptly than words: "Glad to see you; come
in and relax awhile." Teach your chang~
making men. and women to say ''Thank
you" and let them beam another big smile
when they complete the transaction.
If your arcade does not feature a big
sign with the words "Free Admission," get
one up right away. Spend a few dollars
on come-ons and before long you won't
have . to force that friendly smile of wel-
come. It'll come just as naturally as folks
respond to the urgings of their innate
curiosity and the magic of the word:'free."