Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

J. D. COX DISTRIBUTING COMPANY
671-673 Howard Street
San Francisco, California
is proud to announce that they have been appointed
Franchised Distributor for Northern Californi•
for All Products of
PACKARD MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
♦
♦
Watch for our Announcement of our Showing of the
Sensat ional NEW PACKARD PLA-MOR Phonograph and HIDEAWAY
♦
♦
COIN
MACHIHI
J. D. Cox Distributing Company will also make available to the trade, all
REVIIW
varieties of coin-operated equipment.
77
FOi
S an Francisco
The recent increase in cigarette prices is
proving quite a headache to operators whose
profit margin had shrunk considerably as
they still merchandise the pack for 15 cents.
Eventually it will be necessary to raise the
price and adopt some penny returning
system. Having had no experience with
penny refunding, operators, so far, have
been reluctant to make the innovation. ht
the East however, the practice was estab-
lished quite ,ometime ago, and as a sen-ice
to operators, A. F. "Tony" Parina, from
Messrs. Parina and Co., (formerly R. A.
Parina & Co.) western distributor for Arth-
ur H. DuGrenier cigarette vendors, took a
trip East to make a comprehensive survey
of methods employed in penny returning.
He interviewed many ops in the New York
and Boston area, • and found them most
cooperative. He was conducted throug:h
cigarette stock departments and was shown
various ways of handling insertion of pennies
into cigarette packages. Tony Parina
brought home the comforting information
that once the initial changes are made, and
the proper technique acquired, penny re-
funding becomes a very smooth transaction.
There are several penny inserting machines,
very simple to manipulate. A novice at the
task can pack one case of cigarettes in an
hour. With practice, speed increases to as
much as 15 cases a day. The work is easy
but monotonous, and the comfort of the
workers is of prime importance. The work-
shop should have proper lighting, guod
ventilation and should be equipped with
comfortable, adjustable chairs. Making the
survey, Tony assembled a stack of statistics
and took numerous notes of small, imp!>rt-
ant details, too lengthy to be brought in
this column. However, Tony will be very
happy to give detailed information to op-
erators in order to adapt the penny refund-
ing system to their own individual needs.
While East, Parina visited the DuGrenier
factory, where he found things humming,
the entire organization working at top speed.
Said Tony: "From the activities at the fac-
tory, under the capable leadership of
Burnhart "Bip" Glassgold, vice president
and general manager, it should not b3 too
long before the new DuGrenier cigarette
vendors become available."
The premises of Messrs. Parina & Co.,
have been thoroughly modernized, setting a
new high standard. The place has been
beautifully redecorated, the floors are as-
phalt tile, and throughout there is fluores-
cent lighting. The showroom is spacious
with sunlight streaming through the large
plateglass windows, a worthy place to show
the new DuGrenier Challenger when it ar-
rives. The stage is set and the audience-
the operators-are breathlessly awaiting the
appearance of the Star.
For a refreshing variety this column suf-
fers from an embarra ment of riches. So
many "top news" have come our way, that,
please, don't pay any attention to the order
in which they are presented. As a rule
events are presented according to their im-
portance, but this time so many are vying
for first place that your reporter had prac-
tically to draw out the names from a hat.
J. D. Cox Distributing Co. has been
formed, franchised distributor for Northern
California for Packard phonographs and
Pia-Mor music selectors. Headquarters of
the firm will be 671-673 Howard St., with
a showroom of 40 x 90 feet. The firm open-
ed for business the 15th of July. J. D. Cox
has been in the coin machine field for over
22 years, both as an operator, and active
in the jobbing business for the last 8
years. As an operator he is well known in
many major cities of the country. Cox has
been engaged in activities on the Pacific
Coast for 16 years, is well liked and is
already assured of a loyal following in his
new venture.
Besides Packard products, J. D. Cox
Distributing Co. will handle a complete
line 0£ coin-controlled machines.
The worth-while idea occured to Oliver
C. Sass to aid the War Veterans' Rehabili-
tation Program utilizing vending machine
equipment. A few months ago he found a
sponsor in the American Legion San Fran-
cisco Police Post No. 456. This is how it
all came about: Sass, an expert mechanic,
has relinquished that field and joined the
San Francisco police force of which he was
a member for four years. During the war
years, when mechanics were as scarce as
the proverbial hen's teeth, he heard how
desperately in need of a good mechanic was
Viking Specialty Co., headed by E. M.
"Prince" Dutton. Knowing personally an-
other member of the Dutton family, he ·was
prevailed upon to take a part time job with
Viking. Well, he liked it. In fact he liked
it so much that he resigned from the police
force and devoted all his time to Viking.
Eventually he got so interested in the coin
machine business that, encouraged by
"Prince" Dutton, he started a route of his
own on a very modest scale. Then the war
ended and the rehabilitation of war veterans
became a national issue. Sass saw a chance
to become helpful. Almost everybody had
some kin in the war, and many veterans
had gone into business for themselves, and
Sass figured that most everybody would be
willing to help promote the rehabilitation
program, at practically no expense to them-
selves. The set-up is efficient and simple.
Location owners are donating the space,
waiving their commission in favor of the
war veterans. Sass has been operating so
AUGUST
1946
https://elibrary.arcade-museum.com