Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

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of year and show no evidence of increa e
in number. Pop corn vendors of the later
types seem to be doing better and are on
the increase in number. Scales remain
stable, with not much of a noticeable num-
ber of new machines in evidence.
. Some ope rators have voiced their opin-
ion that those having a small number of
phonographs will not be able to operate
pr06tably without pin ball games and
therefore will have to sell to larger op-
erators.
At this time, it is not known whether
the county will go down or not. The county
doesn't tax or license pin ball or console
machines but the state gets 20 per cent and
for that reason the county commissioners
may let them operate. The Prosecuting
Attorney has kept out of all controversie .
The State Legislatures of Washington,
Idaho and Montana haven't changed their
existing laws regarding bell or pin ball
operation. A tax permitting the operation
of punchboards seems possible in Wash-
ington.
W . L. Ferrall
Twin Cities
The approach of spring, with summer
just around a corner, has operators and
jobbers alike in this territory smiling op-
timistically about business prospects-fol-
lowing an average winter purred on only
by the demand for shuffieboards. An in-
into the cities has been noticeable in Feb-
ruary and March, an indication of things
to come.
Legislation, of course, has been on the
minds of all coinmen here, as no doubt
elsewhere. A few of the more fortunate
coin men were able to forget legislative
troubles momentarily for Florida vacations.
However, with things still buzzing "from
luke warm to hot" in capitol corridors until
the end of April, the industry here cannot
afford to be too aloof to legislative matters.
The industry is affected by a number of
bills aimed in its direction, mostly unfavor-
ably so, in Minnesota and Dakota legisla-
tive halls.
A number of jobbers here, with optimism
running high over new equipment, new
lines and increased interest in music and
pin balls, are adding many new lines to
APRIL, 1949
OAKLAND 7 , CALIF.
35¢ lb.
Freight prepaid JOO lbs. or more anywhere
in the United States.
For those who want bubble base gum,
ST AR'S %" is available at 26c pound-the
%" at 27c lb.-freight prepaid on orders
of 100 pound or more as far east as Mon-
tana, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
their stocks. Midwest Coin Machine Sales
in St. Paul, headed by Jack Karter, has
taken on distribution here of Trans-Vue
television, the first invasion of coin video
here.
Most coinmen are of the opinion that, if
the Legislature takes it easy on the Indus-
try and passes few, if any, new taxes, then
profitable times may be realited during the
coming months. The resort season is ahead
and that always has promise. Preparing
for the resort season, many location owners
who depend on coin machines to boost their
income, will attend a series of 14 one-day
courses conducted by the State Dept. of
Business Research and Development. Sani-
tation, legal, health and hotel inspection
divisions will advise the re ort men on
problems to be met in their business dur-
ing the coming summer.
Legislative matters are the topic among
vending machine operators, particularly
soft drinks, faced with penny per bottle
taxes and cup licensing restrictive legisla-
tion. Like everyone else, the venders are
awaiting warmer weather and return to big
tou rist season to boost sagging profits.
meeting held March 1 in Minneapolis out-
lined the program to members of the board
and 17 regional chairmen, in addition to
an operator member from each region.
Tom Crosby, president, presided.
North Dakota operators met in February,
under president Fred Fixel, to discuss
legislative matters and Hy-G Music of
Minneapolis held a service school concur-
rent with the meeting at Grand Forks for
orth Dakota operators.
South Dakota operators met at Yankton,
March 6 through 8, and elected officers
(not received at press-time). They also
considered current legislative matters and
heard Dudley Ruttenberg, CMI . counsel,
discuss industry legal problems.
N . F . W ood
Washington, D. C.
All types of business in the nation's
capital are moving along at a fairly normal
pace. Unemployment is creeping up slowly,
but the number of employed remains
about the same as always. The recent
wholesale cut in candy bars proved quite
a boon to local operators. Sales have been
oticeably quiet the past month or two
holding steady, and operators have been
ha been five-balls and arcades, with candy
able to add the price cut to their small
vending holding its own and jobbers able
profits.
to squeeze a better margin with lowering
Tavern business has been none too good
costs for candy products nqw being made.
Cigarette vending i up but prospects of a . lately, and that has kept phono grosses
down. Cigarette sales began moving up
5-cent per pack tax, an increase of 2 cents,
after a low January and are now running
is keeping the vending boys' fingers crossed.
about the same as last year. The bugaboo
However, recent developments indicate
of the anticipated 2 per cent sales tax has
legislators may give the cold shoulder to
been causing headaches among ciggie op-
the cigarette tax hike in their search for
erators, however.
new revenues.
Amusement games are bringing in around
Minnesota Amusement Games Assn. set
12 per cent Clore thtln last year, according
up 17 regional areas to service members
to one coinman, but he reports his labor
more effectively, with each area covering
costs are also up, with locations demanding
from three to seven counties in size, each
more servicing.
headed by a local chairman to handle local
Soft drink dispensers are spotted in
problems when they occur, such as com-
about 90 per cent of the city's theaters.
missions and community and public rela-
A good proportion of them have been in-
tions programs at the local level.
stalled in the past eight months. Business
has been slow, but warmer weather will
The move, which decentralizes the state
organization to more effectively carry out
take care of that. A local phenomenon con-
an industry relations program, achieves a
tinues to be the way customers flock to the
close tie between state and regional chair-
dime movie machines whic h cover at least
men who keep members posted on MAGA
half the floor space in the city's arcades.
acti vi ties on regular basis. A traveling sec-
The peep shows are strictly an arcade item,
however, so the over-all gross is small com-
retary will visit regional meetings and
spend time in each area in assisting indus-
pared to other categorie i~ Washington.
try members with their problems. A special
With the general declin,e in hotel occu-
41