July, 193-2
AUTOMATIC
Frank -B. Harl Writes From Los
Angeles
G
LAD to write to the AUTO-
MATIC WORLD and tell you
how business, etc., is out
here in Los Angeles.
I will say my machines have im-
proved 20 per cent this month, on
account of a big
lot of sailors com-
ing in; also sum-
mer t 0 uri s t s.
There were 1,500
bankers and their
wives here last
week to attend a
convention. Als.o
the pin game op-
erators took out
a large number of
their tables on ac-
count of the city
putting $18.00 tax
on each table, per
year, and stopped
them from giving Frank M. Harl
prizes for high
score. However, some are still giv-
ing the prizes regardless, although
several have been fined. Most of
the tables here are the 5c play, 10
shots for a nickel instead of five
shots for 1 cent. I saW in the paper
where there were over 11,000 pin
tables operating in Los Angeles ·
county and 3,500 in the business sec-
tion of Los Angeles.
J. H. Scott, who is a large oper-
ator, said his machines are doing
pretty well. The Operators Vending
Supply Company have mov·e d to
larger quarters at 1229 West First
street, as the result of improvement
in their business. They also operate
about 600 machines of all kinds. I
have not talked to other operators
for some time and don't know just
how their business is. I have been
pretty busy putting out machines and
painting all my machines a bright
red and I have my route in good
shape now, much better than ever
before. I have 101 machines out on
location. The operators' association
has not had a meeting this year that
I know about, and I don't know
when they will meet again. The city
has not put any tax on our peanut
and gum machines yet and I have
heard no more about it since last
December. We are expecting good
business here in Los Angeles during
the Olympic games in July and Au-
Page Thirteen
WORLD
gust. A large crowd is expected here
during that time.
It seems that everyone is anx-
ious to see Los Angeles. The first
thing visitors do is to make a rush
out to Hollywood and Culver City
to see the movie studios and see if
they can see any of the stars, but
they don't usually see them as they
have stopped letting visitors into the
studios.
I worked in the movies quite a
lot when I first came out here. I was
in some pictures with several big
stars. I was in the "crowd pictures,"
"Ben Hur," Hey Rube," "Circus
Kid," "The Palooka," "The Man Who
Laughed Last," and two or three
other pictures. I got skinned up
pretty bad in the last two pictures,
"Hey Rube," and "Circus Kid," but
never got knocked down, but I
floored some other guys. I don't like
that sort of stuff.
If ever in Los Angeles come see
me. I can always be found at Ho-
tel Bixby, 433 Wall street.
•
Some Good Sound Facts
By LOUIS H. ROSE
Editor's Note-Mr. Rose is the
manager of Sicking Manufacturing
Co., of 1922 Freeman avenue, Cin-
cinnati, Ohio. l:j:e has headed his
company since 1895, dealing in coin
machines and supplies. Weare glad
to have this good letter from Mr.
Rose. Having the experience that
he has, we can not doubt his author-
ity and must admit that what he says
is to be given serious consideration.
The Automatic World,
120 St. Louis Avenue,
Fort Worth, Texas.
Gentlemen:
Weare today in receipt of your
form letter dated July 5th with ref-
erence to placing ad in your job-
bers' directory.
We find here of late hundreds of
operators who have found operating
business unprofitable, and are, there-
fore, entering into the jobbers'
field. These jobbers think that by
selling a volume at a dollar profit
is all that is required. They are not
only hurting themselves, but are
hurting others and are offering late
model machines at ridiculous prices
and the legitimate jobber is unable
to compete with them. The only
thing left to do is to stay away from
advertising any product.
You mentioned the fact that the
AUTOMATIC WORLD is the first
journal to take up the battle, fight-
ing for the jobbers. We find that
the manufacturers will not adhere to
the policy of selling the jobbers only.
They will sell an operator at the
same price as the jobber, and expect
the jobber to advertise their prod-
uct, display it and carry it in stock
without any concession.
When a manufacturer will recog-
nize a jobber and operator as two
individuals, the coin machine busi-
ness will then be in better standing.
This is a letter addressed· to you
and you can print this as an article
if you wish. Weare sorry that we
cannot enter into the jobbers' col-
umn, but will ask you to please place
the enclosed ad in the classified.
SICKING MFG. CO.
Louis H. Rose.
•
Coin Machines Increase
Record Sales
Lincoln, Neb. -
Walt's Music
House, 1215 C street, Lincoln, Neb.,
prides itself on the quality of mer-
chandise sold. This house handles
both the Victor and Mills auto-elec-
tric music machines. All locations
must pay $20 the month or they will
be discontinued. One of the big bets
in Lincoln is the State University.
That means many young folks who
will dine where they dance. The
smaller restaurants cannot afford an
orchestra, but they will place an
auto-electric music machine in the
place of business.
The machines are carried on a per-
centage basis and the patrons pay
for music as desired. That serves as
a drawing card for the restaurant
and at the same time increases the
income in two ways. First is the
percentage allowed by the machine
dealer, and the very fact of having
the machine in the dining room
draws a larger patronage for the
restaurant.
The fact that most of the patrons
are university students serves to sell
more records carrying good dance
music. To satisfy this class of pa-
trons those records must be changed
much more frequently than in the or-
dinary locations.
Walt's Music
House has over 6,000 r·e cords on hand
at all times and finds business
steadily increasing both from record
and machine sales.