Play Meter

FEATIJRE
FEATURE
T TODAY,
ODAY,
5
HERE
HERE
TOMORROW
Kiddie rides
rides have
have staying
stayip.g power
power
Kiddie
and so does Tom Dudley of
and
Kiddie Amusements
Amusements
Kiddie
by Bonnie
Bonnie Theard
Theard
by
Kiddie Amusement's
Amusement's heavy
heal')' security
security coinbox,
coinbox, designed
designed by
by Tom
Tom Dudley.
Dudley.
Kiddie
quit," noted
noted Dudley.
Dudley. He
He decided
decided to
to make
make his
his
Zayre's locations
locations and
and my
my association
association with
with quit,"
Thirty-three years
years ago,
ago, at
at age
age 10,
10, he
he Zayre's
Thirty-three
operation
self-contained,
including
manufac-
Wal-Mart
from
its
early
days
led
to
an
helped
his
Dad
with
a
route
of
penny
gum
helped his Dad with a route of penny gum Wal-Mart from its early days led to an operation self-contained, including manufac-
turing his
his own
own fiberglass
fiberglass and
and all-steel
all-steel
assignment of
of Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart stores
stores in in three
three turing
machines. His
His love
love of
of the
the amusement
amusement assignment
machines.
fabrications
for
coin
boxes,
bases,
and
southern
states.
I
was
buying
parts
from
business
began
then
and
grew
steadily
just
business began then and grew steadily just southern states. I was buying parts from fabrications for coin boxes, bases, and
security
covers.
He
began
earlier
this
year
Keith
Mullins
of
Strata
International,
and
he
like
the
kiddie
ride
business
he
started
in
like the kiddie ride business he started in Keith Mullins of Strata International, and he security covers. He began earlier this year
designing his
his own
own coin
coin box
box and
and is is presently
presently
helped me.
me. Now,
Now, Keith
Keith is is my
my national
national designing
1967. By
By 1986
1986 Tom
Tom Dudley
Dudley had
had 728
728 kiddie
kiddie helped
1967.
finalizing
the
tooling.
He
numbers
17
representative."
ride
locations
(over
1,000
rides)
in
four
finalizing the tooling. He numbers 17
ride locations (over 1,000 rides) in four representative."
employees
in
his
business,
Kiddie
Amuse-
Dudley
is
as
resilient
and
steady
as
the
major
store
chains,
he
refurbished
rides,
and
Amuse-
Dudley is as resilient and steady as the employees in his business, Kiddie
major store chains, he refurbished rides, and
ments, including
including his
his wife,
wife, Cheryl.
Cheryl. James
James
kiddie rides
rides he
he manufactures
manufactures and
and rebuilds.
rebuilds. ments,
manufactured replacement
replacement parts
parts for
for his
his own
own kiddie
manufactured
Carter
is
his
road
and
sales
manager;
Dean
"My
stubbornness
would
not
allow
me
to
equipment
and
that
of
others.
Then
the
equipment and that of others. Then the "My stubbornness would not allow me to Carter is his road and sales manager; Dean
Taylor
is
shop
manager.
Each
of
the
11
bottom fell
fell out
out when
when Howard's
Howard's and
and TG&Y,
TG&Y, 111111··~~~~~
Taylor is shop manager. Each of the 11
bottom
employees
in
the
paint,
fabrication,
two
of
the
four
chains,
both
closed
within
f
employees in the paint, fabrication,
two of the four chains, both closed within
KIDDIE AMUSEMENTS
fiberglass, and
and manufacturing
manufacturing depart-
depart-
three-month period.
period. Howard's
Howard's repre-
repre-
fiberglass,
a a three-month
ments
is
a
specialist;
several
have
been
sented
20
percent
of
his
business;
TG&Y
ments is a specialist; several have been
sented 20 percent of his business; TG&Y
with
Dudley
five
years
or
more.
53
percent.
with
Dudley
five
years
or
more.
53 percent.
Now in in his
his second
second year
year of
of manufac-
manufac-
''You think
think you're
you're on
on solid
solid ground,
ground,
Now
"You
turing,
Dudley
has
327
locations
and
think
you
are
ready
to
sit
back
and
pay
turing, Dudley has 327 locations and
think you are ready to sit back and pay
700 rides
rides in in operation.
operation. About
About 309
309
everything
off
and
enjoy
life,"
said
700
everything off and enjoy life," said
locations are
are in in four
four store
store chains.
chains. As
As his
his
Dudley. "Then
''Then something
something like
like this
this hits
hits
locations
Dudley.
manufacturing
business
grows
his
you."
He
reassessed
his
operation,
amid
business
grows
his
manufacturing
you." He reassessed his operation, amid
dependence on
on the
the chains
chains will
will diminish.
diminish.
a
stream
of
returning
kiddie
rides,
and
dependence
a stream of returning kiddie rides, and
He currently
currently operates
operates within
within a a 300-mile
300-mile
started over.
over.
started
He
radius
of
his
home
location
in
Florence,
Dudley
remarked,
"People
say
this
is
radius
of
his
home
location
in
Florence,
Dudley remarked, "People say this is
Miss., just
just outside
outside Jackson.
Jackson. "I
"I lost
lost
cut-throat world
world--don't
do favors.
favors. But
But
Miss.,
a a cut-throat
-- don't do
control of
of my
my business
business in
in the
the past,"
past," said
said
when
I
saw
everything
drop
out
I
was
control
when I saw everything drop out I was
Dudley. "My
"My operation
operation became
became too
too
helped by
by friends
friends in in the
the business.
business. I I
Dudley.
helped
widespread.
I
want
to
make
my
business
believe
if
you
take
time
to
help
people,
business
my
make
to
want
I
widespread.
believe if you take time to help people,
better. I I started
started by
by building
building a a universal
universal
they will
will help
help you.
you. There's
There's plenty
plenty of
of room
room
better.
they
mechanical base
base and
and concentrated
concentrated on
on
for all
all of
of us
us out
out there.
there.
mechanical
for
Tom Dudley,
Dudley, left,
left, and
and James
James Carter
Carter at
at the
the Kiddie
Kiddie
Tom
that
and
replacement
parts
for
the
older
"A friend
friend in
in Florida
Florida helped
helped me
me get
get
"A
that and replacement parts for the older
Amusement's booth
booth during
during ACME
ACME '87.
'87.
Amusement's
14 PLAY
PLAY METER/July
METER/July 1987
1987
14