Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

FEBRUARY,
1935
Coin Machines
In
Drug Stores
By ELBERT G. THOMAS
COIN machines invariably pay for the
valuable space which they take up in retail
drug stores.
That in itself is a practical answer to
the value of coin-controlled amusement
and vending equipment in drug stores. Au-
thority for that statement is Myron L.
Radlin, an operations executive of the
Thrifty drug store chain, which conducts
its business through seventeen retail drug
stores in Los Angeles.
Thrifty's progressiveness is recognized in
the drug industry, and part of the busy
atmosphere that prevails in Thrifty stores
throughout the metropolitan Los Angeles
area is due to the attraction power of some
30 pin ball games and vending machines
installed in most of the branches.
"Amusement value," is Mr. Radlin's reo
ply. He says that customers flock "around
the tables in droves to play the games.
Many are attracted into the stores by
the presence of the machines and the peo-
ple around them, and once inside their at-
tention is readily attracted to goods on
display. Some who come in with no inten-
tions of buying anything are held long
enough by the games to think of some
necessity to buy before leaving.
An important phase of the entertainment
value of pin ball games to drug stores is
the friendly atmosphere they create. People
come in to play, naturally become ac-
quainted with the clerks and manager, and
they usually return to buy from persons
they know. The pin ball game has helped
to make the neighborhood drug store a
veritable gathering place during the eve-
nings, while the downtown stores attract
hundreds who pass the rest of the lunch
hour rolling marbles around the playing
boards:
"Can't Afford to Take Them Out"
Val ue to Proprietor
What is the chief importance of pin ball
games to the drug store owner or manager?
NEW WINNERS:
Action (Junior) . • . • • • . • • . • • . . • . • • . • • . • • . . • . . . . . . . $39.50
Action (Senior) . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . • • . . . • .. . . . . . • . • . . . . 58.50
Army & Navy . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . • . . . . . . • . . • . • . . . . . . • • 44.50
Buckley Puritan Venders............................ 12.50
Criss Cross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cannon Fire • . • . . • . . . . . . . . . • • . • . . . • • . . • • • . • . . . . . . .
Dice.O.l\latics . . ..•.. •... . . . • • . . . . • • • . . . • . . . . . . . • . .
Hold & Draw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I. O. U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . .
Lite-A.Line (Triple Slot) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lile-A~Line (Single Slot) . • • . • . . . . . • • . • • . • • • • • . . . . • . .
JUa,iik.Keys (Standard) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • •
Majik.Keys (Senior) .•.•..••.••.•••••.•..••.. .•..•.
Mills Q. T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . .
Northwestern Peanut (Model .'13).... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rebound . . • . . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • • . . . • • • . • • . • .
Red Arrow (Automatic Payout) ••.••..•••••.••...•...
Select-Em Dice (New Gum Model) .••••••••.•.•.......
Shooting Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Skysf"raner • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . • . . . . . . . . • • • .
Spark Plugs . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sportsman (Automatic Payout) ••.••.••.••.••.•••.••.
Wahoo (Automatic Payout) ...••.••.••..•.• •••• .••.••
Winner (A.B.T.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
39.50
59 ,50
12.50
29.50
12.50
96.00
66.00
36.00
45.00
57.50
5.50
39.50
94.50
12.50
34 .50
47.50
29.50
87.50
75.00
90.00
REBUILT MACHINES
Alphabetical Order
Airway . •.••.••.••.••..• . .••••••• .••.••.••.•• .•.. $ 7.00
Ambassador • • • . • . . • . . • . • • . . . • . • . . . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . .
6.00
Auto-Banks . • . • . . • . . . . . • . . . • • . . • • . • • . • • . • • . • . . • • . 42.50
Automatic Punchboard Machine ••••..•••••.••.••.••••
9.00
ABT Pool Target • • • . . • • . . . . . . • . . • • • . • . • • . • • . . • . . • •
2.50
ABT Check Target. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.00
ART Game Hunter ••...•.•.••.•••.•. .••.••....••.••
5.00
5.00
ABT Number Target ••.•.•.•••.•.. .•. • . • • • . . . . . • • . .
ABT Five Jacks . . • . • . • . • • . . . . . . . . . • . • • • • • . • • . . • • . . .
9.50
American Beauty (New Model) •..••••.•••••.•.••.•..• 10.00
Arlington •.•••.•..•.•....••.••.••.••.••.••.••..••
5.00
Ball Gum (Half Case) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.00
Bally Counter Game .••..••..•••••.••.•..••.••.•..••
2.00
Baseball Target (Ic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.00
Batteries (Ever Ready) •..•.....•.••.••.••.••.••.••.
.25
Battery Testers •..••.•..••.••.•.•..•••....•.••.••••
.90
Blue Streak • . . . . • • . . . • . . . . . . . . . • • . • . . • • . • • . • • .•• . 15.00
Bosco ...••.••...••..•••••.•...•.••••••••...••.••
4.00
Brokers Tip . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . . .
4.00
Belmont Juniors (Race Horse) . • . . . . • . • . . . . . • • . . . • • • •
5.00
Blue nil-bon . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . • . . . . . • . . . . . 10.00
Blue Bird lc Targets • • . • • . • • . • . . . . . . . • • . • • • . . • . . . • •
1.25
Blue Bird Dice . • . . • • . • . . . . . . . • . • • . • •.••.••.•• .••••
3.50
Booster
..............•........••.•.............•
9.00
Caille Puritan ••.••.•••••.•.•.••.••.••.••.••••••••
4.00
Cha.npion
. • . . . . • . • . . . • • . • • • • • . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . 55.00
Contact Junior ...••.•••.••.•.••.••.••.•••...••.••. 20.00
Contact Master •••...•.••.•..••.••.•.•.••••.•.•••• 16.50
Cub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.00
Dicette •.•••.••.• •.••.••.•.•.••.. •••••••••••.••••
4.00
Dice"O-1\fatic . . . . . . • . . . . • • . • • . . • • • • • . • • . • . • . • • • . • .
8.00
Drop Kick ••.••.•• .•• . • • . • . . . • • . • • • • • • . • . . . . . . . . . 23.50
Electric Piano ••.••..•..•.•..••..•..••.••.• Wurlitzer 30.00
Electro
• . . . . . • • . • . . . . . • • . • • • • • . • • • . • . • . . . . . . . • • . 17.50
Epsom Downs • • . . . . . . • . . • • . • • . • . • • . . • . . . . . . . . . .••
1.85
Five Jacks (Fields) .••••••••...•.••••.••..•.••...••
7_50
Fleet Junior ••.•..••.••.•••...••.•..••.••.•..••..• 12.50
Fleet Senior •••.••••.••..••••.••.•...•...•.••••••. 22.50
Forward Pass . • • . . . • . . • • • . . • • • . . • . • . • • . • . • • . . . . • . 15.00
Gypsy . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . .
4.00
SLOT MACHINES
1
1
22
I
3
I
2
2
5
3
1
S
2
1
1
1
I
4
Seventeen
THE PACIFIC COIN MACHINE REVIEW
Caille Bell Single Jackpot 25c play .••••••......••. $1'1.50
Imp lc play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . 22.50
Junks (Works of J enni n gs, Cailles & Mills) ..•.• " • ..
2.00
Jennings Bell No Jackpot 25c play (wood case). . . •••
4.00
Jennings Bell Single Jackpot Sc p l a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.00
J ennings Bell Double Jackpot IOc play ••.••..•••••• 17.50
Jennings Little Dutchess . . . . . • . . . • • . . . . • . . . . . . • • . • 50.00
Jennings Today Front Vender Jackpot Sc play . . . . . . . • 17.50
Jennin~s Today Front Vender No Ja ckpo t 5c play....
7.00
Mills Junior Silent Ic play . . . • • . • • . • • . • • . . . . . • . • • 2S.00
Mills Bell Single Jackpot IOc play . . . . • . . • • . . . . . • . •. 17.50
l\Iil1s Front Vender Double Jackpot Sc play Comet. ••• 32 .50
Mills Bell Single Jackpot 5c play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17.50
Mills FOK Front Vender No Jackpot 5c play........ 10.00
lUHls Front Vender Single Jackpot 25c play ..•••••••• 15.00
~fiIls Bell Triple Jackpot (Deans) 5c play . . . . . . . . . . 12.50
Mills Bell Double Jackpot Tiger Front 10c play •••.•• 42.50
l\lills Silent Escalator Double Jackpot Front Vender
5c play
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.00
Most drug store managers are reluctant
to state how much revenue is brought in to
them by the marble games being operated
Gold Rush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.00
Grand National (Seeburg) ••.•..••.•.....•..•••••.••. 29.50
Golden Gate Junior. • . • • . • . . . . • • . • • . • • . • . . • • . • • . • • •• 17.S0
Golrlen Gatc Senior . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . • . 2S.00
Gottlieb Baseball ••.••.••.••.••.•••.••.••.•..••...
1.00
Grippers (metal) • • . . • . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . .
2.50
Greyhound ••..••.••.••.•. • • . • . . . . . • . . • . . • . . . . . . . .
2.00
Hockey (Seeburg)
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 30.01
Horseshoe Special . . . . . . . . . . . • • . • • . . . . • . • . . . . . . . . .
4.00
Indoor Striker (Ic) .•...••.•• , .. . . .. . . . . . . .•. .•. .. ..
1.50
Iron Claw (Model D ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 29 "50
Jennings Target (vender), lc o n l y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.50
Jigsaw
•..•..• .. •. , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.50
• Jumpin g Jacks (Battery) ( D i c e ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.00
Kings Horses • • • • • . • . . . • . . • • . . . . . . • • . • . . . . • . . • . • • .
7.50
Knickerbocker • • . • . . • • . • • . • . . • • • . . . . . . . . • . • • . • • . . . 13.S0
Kentucky Derby ( D i c e ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.00
Lightning • . . . • . • . . • • . • . • • . • • • . • • . . . . • . • • . . . . . . . . . 17.50
Little Joe (Dice), l c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.00
Little Duke (New Model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.50
Magic Clock . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . • . . . . .
4.00
1\[agic Beer Barrel. • . • • . • • • . . . . . • • . • . • . • . • • . . • . • • . •• 10.00
Majik-Keys (Standard) . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . 17.50
~fajik.Keys
(Senior) • . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . 25.00
Major League (Batter UP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . . . 25.00
l\lajor League (Senior) (Battcr UP) •.. ... . ••. ••..•••. 30.00
Match-A-Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.00
Marbl Jax . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . 12.50
~fiIIs Bell B o y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7.50
Mills Fortune T e l l e r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.50
Mills Puritan B e l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8.S0
:Mills Troubadour (Sclective) 5c only ••.••••.••.••.•.• IS0.00
Mutoscopes (counter model reels and cards). . . •• •. • . ..•
6.00
Ncw Era Vender (Fruit D i c e ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.00
New Deal •••• • .••.••.••... ...•• ••••.••.••.••.••..
7.50
Official Sweepstakes, Gum Vender. . . • . . • • . . • • . • • . • • • •.
6.50
Official Sweepstakes (Plain Model)....................
4.00
Penny Ante •••••.•• . ••.•.•••••••. ••••.••••••••.••
5.00
Penny Draw •••••.••••••••.••.••.•••••••••..•....•
5.00
Pennant •••••••••••.••.•....••.••••••.••....••.••
7.00
Pigskin
••.••.... . . . . • . . . . . . . • • . . • . . . . . . . • . . • • . . . 25.00
Pipc-Eye .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . 10.00
Play BaU (lc Target). . . . . . . . . . • . • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . • ..
1.00
Percentage Clips (Gimmigs).........................
.7S
Puritan Jackpot •••••.••.••.••.••.•••••••.•••••.••
8.00
Puritan Venders . . . . . . • • . • • . . . . . • ..•.. • . . . . . . . . . • .
6.00
Regi ster ••••••••.•..••••••••.•.•••.••.•••...•..•• IS.00
Relay Senior ••.••.•••••.••••.•••••.••.••.••.••••• 28.S0
Ritz ••••••••. ••.••.•.. •...••••••.•.•.••..••••...
2.50
Rocket (New ~fodel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.50
Rol-Let • . . • • . • . . • . • . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.00
Safe (Steel) .. . . . . • . . • . . . . . • . . . . . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.00
Scale
(HeaIth-O.Meter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17.50
Score Board •••••. . • . • • . • . . . • . .•••.• . .•...••••..•.
5.00
Signal (Junior) . • . . . • • • . . • • . • . . • • . . . . . . . . • • • • • • . • • 22.S0
Signal (Scnior) . . . • . . . . . . . . . . • • . . . . • . . . • . . • . . . . . • 35.00
Select-·Em (Gum Vender) . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.50
Select·Em ••••••••.•..••.•••••••..••.•••••.•....••
8.00
Supcr 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . 17.50
Sweet SaUy • . . • . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.00
Skil)per ••.••.••.•••••.••...•.••••.•..••.••...••.
4.00
Spark Plug • • . . • . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00
Spiral Baseball • • . . • . • . . • . . . . . • • . • • . . . . . . . . . . . • • . •
1.00
Steeplechase Senior (cost $96.00).................... 15.00
Streamline • . . • . . • • . • • . • . • • • . . • . • . • . . • • . • • . • . • . • . .
9.00
Three Jack s •..••.•••••.•.••••...••..•••..•..•...•
4.50
21 Venders .•..•••••.....•.•.•••••.••.••.••.••.••
R.OO
Vest Pocket Basketball ( l c ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.00
Wahoo (New Model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45.00
Watling Be11, 25c play, no Jackpot. .. . . . . •• . . . . .• .• • ..
5.00
World Series • •.•..•..• ..••.••.•• .•.. • . . . . . . . . . • .
7.S0
Zig Zag . " . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00
WE TAKE TRADE INS
2 Mills FOK Front Vender Single Jackpot Sc play ••••
Mills Q. T. lc play (new) • . . . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mills Q. T. 5c play (new) . . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . . '
10 Mills Skyscraper 5c Double Jack p 'ot .••••••••.••••
1 Pace Double Jackpot Bell Sc play ••.••.•••••.••••
2 Pace Rell Single Jackpot Sc play . . . . • . . • . • • . • • . . . •
1 Pace B e ll Double Jackpot 10c p l a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 Pace Bell No Jackpot 2Sc p l a y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 Pace Front Vender Single Jackpot Sc play........
1 Watling Twin Jackpot Front Vender Sc play .•..•.••••
1 Watling Bell No Jackpot 2Sc play..............
S Watling Gold Award Front Vender Double Jackpot
5c plqy • . . . . . • . • • . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . • . • • . . • .
7 Watling Bell Double Jackpot 5c play •••.•••.•..•..
1 Watling Bell Double Jackpot 10c play ••.••..•••••••
I Watling Front Vender Single Jackpot IOc play ••••••
Stands Collansible No Screw No Bolt (used) .••.•••..
Percen tage Clips (Gimmigs) ••.•..••.••.•.•••.••••
Safe (steel) • . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . •
Safe Srands (1\lills) . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • . . . •
2S.00
49.50
57.50
52.50
2S.00
17.S0
27.S0
4.00
9.50
42.50
4.00
60.00
42.50
32.50
27.50
2.00
.75
14.00
10.00
ONE-THIRD DEPOSIT REQUIRED. SPECIFY WHETHER Ic OR 5c SLOT. METHOD OF SHIPMENT.
IDEAL NOVELTY COMPANY
3003 LEMP, ST. LOUIS, MO.
MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS DISTRIBUTORS FOR ALL BALLY PRODUCTS.
in their stores. But one manager gave us
the tip-off on this question. He said :
"Those six machines are taking up valu-
able floor space. We need that room to put
in a liquor display. But the machines are
getting such a big play and they bring in
so many business people during the lunch
hour that we can't afford to take them out."
That most drug stores apparently are
good locations for pin ball games is evi-
dent from the play the tables are getting.
This continues despite the fact that prize
score payoffs have been banned in Los An-
geles and the chief pulling power of the
games is their entertainment value. Some
drug stores in the business district have re-
ported a falling off in play since payoffs
were prohibited, but those in other districts
find that the players still like to put in
their nickels and try their skill just for
the fun they get out of it.
Change Games Frequently
Drug store managers, both chain and in-
dependent, in whose stores pin ball games
are being operated successfully reported
that much of the "life" in their places de-
pends upon changing the games whenever
it is apparent that they are losing their
grip on the public. In other words, prog-
ressive drug store managers find it to their
advantage to keep the latest coin-controlled
equipment in their stores.
One store in which the games had not
been changed for nearly a year reported a
heavy decline in player interest and was
unable to account for it. Another pharmacy
not far away was stealing most of the play,
and incidentally much of the business, be-
cause it always had new games on hand
and replaced them every six weeks, if
necessary, to keep them from going "dead."
Isn't that an important tip for operators
handling drug store locations?
Digger machines also are popular in drug
stores and get a big following, but they are
not as numerous as the marble games.
Other types of coin machines include the
ever-present automatic scales and several
types of vending machines.
Few Vending Machines
Vending machines, however, are not quite
as popular as they should be in the retail
drug trade. Managers claim that they pre-
fer the personal contact with customers,
even on "automatic" purchases which need
no sales effort. Most of them have not yet
learned the advantage of being able to con-
centrate on the selling of goods which re-
quire sales pressure, if the minor sales
are handled by vending equipment.
Right now the marble games are a big
field. And the chief reason for their success
seems to be that the wide-awake managers
recognize their customer-appeal. Finally,
the managers and proprietors unanimously
agree that the pin ball games are tremend.
ously fascinating to themselves personally.
•
Merchants Guests
Of Chicago's Ops
CHICAGO-Location owners were guests
of the Organized Operators of Chicago at
a ball and exhibit at Hotel Sherman Janu-
ary 12, when more than 2900 were in at-
tendance.
The entertainment, including music pro-
vided by Earl Hoffman's orchestra and acts
put on by the Music Corporation of Ameri.
ca, served to cement friendships among
the operators and location owners and as-
sured close co-operation.
The experience showed, however, that
Saturday night is an inconvenient time for
the attendance of location owners.
•
E. C. Auld Passes
Away in Chicago
Friends of THE REVIEW will be sad·
dened to learn of the death of Ernest C.
Auld, Chicago advertising representative of
this magazine, in that city January 6th.
He succumbed to a brief attack of pneu·
monia.
Mr. Auld's work will be continued by
C. 1. Anderson and his assistant, E. W.
Ziemann.
THE REVIEW'S Chicago office remains
at 35 East Wacker "Drive. The telephone
number is CENtral 1112.