The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

BM-28 BETTER MANAGEMENT Royalchrome Announces ( Continued from page BM21) “DRUNK DRIVING.” For the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Crime Doesn’t Pay subject, “Drunk Driving,” the Cleveland Public Library arranged this window display. Books on alcoholism and effective stills from the subject features the lay-out. subject of a three-window display, recently, at the library’s main branch. Myers, who has been co-operating for the past year and a half in exploiting short subjects, asserts that the “Drunk Driving” exhibit aroused so much interest on the part of the reading public that, following their viewing of the short, there was so great demand for such books as . . And Sudden Death,” “Youth at the Wheel” and “Man and the Automobile,” that the shelves were in constant use. For the “Drunk Driving” exhibit, Myers used the catchline, “Alcohol plus Gasoline equals Accidents.” Stills from the photoplay were supplemented by actual photographs of accidents in which intoxication was the major factor, as well as pamphlets and detailed statistics showing the number of accidents and deaths caused by drunken drivers, all secured through the co-operation of the Cleveland Police Department. Community Tieups Football Night Asbury Park, New Jersey — In co-operation with a local shoe store, manager M. H. Marshall, New Saint James, held a Football Night at the theatre, with the presentation of a loving cup to Anthony “Duke” Falco, high scorer in an interscholastic game, as the highlight of the evening. Here is manager Marshall’s account of the routine followed: ‘The band, in uniform, assembled in front of the theatre 15 minutes before show time and played a few school songs, and then filed in to see the show. At nine o’clock the presentation program started, with two standard-bearers coming from opposite sides of the stage, bearing the National and high school flags. Yours truly, mike in hand, in the center, called for the school band to play its Alma Mater song, after which I introduced Ward Wilson, of the Phil Baker radio program, as master of ceremonies. The event was a big success, with the cheer leaders taking over for a half-dozen school cheers. Wilson then introduced State Senator Haydn Proctor, who presented the cup to ‘Duke’ Falco on behalf of the local merchant. More cheers were in order and then the band played ‘Stand Up and Cheer.’ As the house lights went down, I had a slide made of the winner shown on the screen, a novel idea every one enjoyed. Then followed a number of football selections by Pete Smith, “Next year the event is being scheduled by myself for a bigger and better affair with more local merchants co-operating after the unusual success of the first event impressing them. As a result I am looking forward to an annual High School Football Night.” GREETINGS... It's certain to be a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR if you've installed INTERNATIONAL The THEATRE CHAIR of Tomorrow AND TODAY! REASONS:— AN EXCELLENCE OF CONSTRUCTION, COMFORT AND STYLE THAT DEPICTS LUXURY TO YOUR PATRONS. A QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP, MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING THAT MEANS ECONOMY TO YOU. A FULL CHAIR LINE THAT OFFERS WIDE SELECTIVITY AND A FULL PRICE RANGE. -Write for Our Latest Catalogue' INTERNATIONAL SEAT CORP., UNION CITY, IND. Eastern Sales Offices: 1501 Broadway, N. Y. Not yet have France and England begun buying bedroom suites for the Maginot Line. The something which has happened to the furniture business is not war. The something is that 1939 began with subnormal inventories and an incipient homebuilding boom. Last spring, with builders turning out nearly twice as many new homes as in 1938, furniture prepared for a rise. This fall, in spite of the war, it came. Up 28 percent over August were September orders. Better yet, for the first time in 10 years, October’s equalled September bookings, topped 1938 by 25 percent, and put the 10-month average 21 percent over last year. By the month’s end, unfilled orders were 51 percent above 1938. But, in spite of the boom, furniture manufacturers were not cheery. They believed that retailers were stocking up faster than the public was buying. They feared that raw material would rise, boosting prices and nipping the industry’s boomlet. They moaned that if the Second World War brings increased construction costs, new home building will suffer. All the same, 1939 household furniture sales should exceed $400,000,000 for the first time since 1937, when the sales amounted to $472,000,000. Next week — December 26 to be exact — the Royal Metal Manufacturing Company will move its main offices and showrooms from its present location at 1138-1140 South Michigan Avenue to 175 North Michigan Avenue, here in Chicago. The new location is an attractive seven story, Gothic building, that was recently purchased from Ada Story Ripley. The main and one other floor will be remodeled into showrooms, while the two top floors will be used for general offices. The remaining three floors will be rented, preferably to firms of the institutional field in allied lines. The Royal Metal Man ufacturing Company, founded in Chicago in 1897, is the manufacturer of Royalchrome and other metal furniture. The company has factories in Michigan City, New York, and Los Angeles, and, in Canada, in Toronto. Showrooms are maintained in many other cities for the better serving of exhibitors and other clients throughout the country interested in that smart, modern touch provided by Royalchrome lobby and rest-room furniture. THE EXHIBITOR December 20, 1939