The Exhibitor (1959)

PLAYGROUNDS ARE A MUST By CHARLES CUMMINGS American Playground Device Company I t has become an axiom that you 11 always find a children’s playground at the successful drive-in theatre. As soon as swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, and other playground de¬ vices have been installed, operators have noticed a marked increase in the take at the gate and at the concession stand. And, in¬ cidentally, the playground is just as popular with parents as children, because it gives them a chance to relax while the young ones are occupied. From the operating standpoint, the play¬ ground has several advantages. It encourages the family to come earlier to the drive-in, distributing the flow of traffic more evenly and relieving the congestion that often occurs shortly before the screen program starts. Of course, the outdoor exercise thus afforded the children is certain to develop healthy appe¬ tites for food and beverages. Increased Concession Sales For instance, one drive-in general manager has reported that his concession revenues are slightly more than 50 per cent of the gate, attributing the figure, several per cent higher than before installing a playground, to chil¬ dren’s better appetites. Since it is conceded generally that the play¬ ground is a requisite for the successful drivein, the important question follows, How much should be invested in this facility and what type of equipment should be installed? It may be a surprise to some theatremen to learn that an impressive playground can be equipped for the 450 to 600 car drive-in for less than $700. This will buy sturdy, wellbuilt swings, a steel slide, see-saws, a sizeable merry-go-round and several other special¬ ized devices. This is not the flimsy equipment often seen in home backyards, but standard, durable apparatus such as that which with¬ stands years of use and abuse in public parks and playgrounds. Safety Factor Safety of the equipment is a prime factor to consider. It is a matter not only of extra strength built into every piece of equipment, but also of design. The American Playground Device Company designs its units carefully, to avoid protruding nuts and bolts, hazardous surfaces, and anything else that might cause injury to children. Safe equipment is, of course, just as impor¬ tant to the buyer as to the manufacturer. The best way to be secure is to select the products of a manufacturer who has a reputation for high quality, extra durable devices. This does not mean paying premium prices, as a com¬ parison of prices and equipment will reveal. On the other hand, buying on a price basis alone is false economy. It is possible to get the highest grade equipment at a reasonable competitive cost. American Equipment To meet the climbing urge of children, American offers the Castle Walk and the Castle Tower, both engineered to stimulate the child’s imagination while he is getting the Continued on Page PE20 That’s why more and more drive-ins choose Bausch & Lomb Build capacity patronage ... for better-than-ever profits ... by giving all of your patrons the world’s most satisfying screen images. Unequalled edge-to-edge sharpness and definition, at all ranges, all angles. Breathtaking contrast . . . vivid, brilliant images. Tops in "Come back again!” ap¬ peal. WRITE for complete information: Folders E-118, E-123, E-35. Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., 72438 St. Paul St., Rochester 2, N. Y. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Honorary Award for Optical Service to the Industry February 11, 1959 PHYSICAL THEATRE * EXTRA PROFITS DEPARTMENT of MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR PE