the
pool table with
the Velvet Touch
innovators of
the industry
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Zenith, Crest, Adjust-a-price
Pool Tables
Sportacard
Sportaball
TV Cocktail Table
Bimbo
United-Sardi Soccer Tables
United Billiards Inc.
51 Progress St ., Union, N.J . 07083
(201) 686·7030
10
the extent that we are in a rural area with small
communities. We depend greatly on the citrus
crop. We have a saying that "So goes the citrus
crop, so goes our business." By that, I mean we
derive, either directly or indirectly, from the
working man, the majority of our revenue. When
the citrus season is long, it turns out good for us.
But it's not only the jukebox operators or
amusement operators that benefit. Everyone in the
community experiences better business by a longer
season.
PLAY METER: I see. How many counties do you
operate in?
LA WSON: Weare in ten counties in central
Florida, and we cover quite a lot of territory. Down
south of us, they grow a lot of watermelons, and the
same thing holds true about what I said about the
citrus season. If they have a good watermelon
season, then we have a good season down there.
PLAY METER: And the tourists?
LAWSON: We don't discount the tourists here in
our area by any reason because they bring in an
awful lot of money. And we do get quite a bit of our
revenue from them, though I believe more
indirectly than directly. We have two tourist
seasons, I might add, We have those who come
down in the wintertime. They are the wealthiest
people. Then, of course, we have the families, or
the tourists on moderate incomes that come down in
the summertime. Of course, for our amusement
business, this is a shot in the arm in the
summertime. We have quite a lot of gameroom-
type situations that are in motels and different
things.
PLA Y METER: What is the big season for you
down there? We know that the business is
seasonal. That it doesn't seem to be constant. But
it varies from an urban operator to a rural operator
like yourself. And it also seems to vary according
to the prevailing situation, like you were describing
the citrus crop, etc. Let's pinpoint the peaks and
valleys in your own particular operation.
LAWSON: Our low point is from the summertime
to the latter part of October. Usually around
Halloween or the first part of November, our
business begins to pick up again. It depends on
whether they have cold winter up north and, of
But normally in
course, the citrus season.
November it picks up fairly well and increases until
we hit our peak in March, April, or May. Then it
begins to taper off. And gradually our business
begins to fall off, usually it holds up pretty good
through about the 15th of JUly. But this year,
because of the fact that we had a freeze down here
this past winter- and a little shorter citrus
season-our business fell off probably a month
earlier. But we're enjoying good business. It's not
that our business is bad. In fact, I think we have
been very fortunate. You know, when people all
around the country were talking about a recession,
a depression, whatever thing they had. We just
didn't have that. Not in our business.
PLAY METER: That's true, But it has affected
the price of equipment.
LAWSON: Oh, yes, no question about that. The
increase in the cost of everything is one thing that is
PLA Y METER, August, 1977