Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1916)

January 29, 1916. ACCESSORY NEWS SECTION 611 SALOONS DISCOURAGED AS PART OF THEATRE PROPERTY A MAN in Wisconsin states that he figures on erecting a building on a lot approximately a little over 40 feet by 100 feet. It is located directly in the center of his village. The place has a saloon license, which business he desires to conduct downstairs. He wishes his vestibule in the center and a little store on each side with either office room or a living apartment above the vestibule and stores. He desires about seven hundred seats to be obtained by having an orchestra and a small balcony. He asks advice for such an arrangement and whether it would also be advisable to have lodge rooms and hall for private dances above the theatre. He desires to realize as much revenue as possible for the size of the town which I interpret from his letter to be 1,400 inhabitants. This inquiry is like many others received, not only from small towns from all over the country, but even from towns as large as 20,000 inhabitants. Every proposition as has often been said in these columns heretofore, must be studied as a problem of itself. The editor can but answer such an inquiry in a general manner. The proposition should be taken up from various standpoints. If the land value is great, which certainly cannot be in the instance of a town of 5,000 or less, the owner must seek as large a net income from his property as possibly can be obtained. He will proceed to study what additional revenues can be secured by additional stores, offices, apartments and lodge rooms, etc. No matter what additional space for renting is applied, a careful consideration must be given as to the proper proportion of net rental from theatre to the net rental of the property with the increased space, as net cost of theatre property is to net cost of theatre property plus the cost of the increased space. The writer would comment upon separately the value of stores, of saloons, of offices, apartments and of lodge rooms. Stores directly in the thick of the business section of even a small community are likely to bring a good rent, and in such locations only may they be given consideration. It is doubtful if even then the rental to be obtained for the space devoted to stores, will average up to the value to the theatre. If the theatre has need for this space for only holidays and Saturdays to accommodate an overflow, it can be readily figured that the said space will bring a return rental of greater amount than obtainable from two small stores in small towns. From that standpoint it appears to me rather essential that the Wisconsin man had better devote his first floor entirely to his theatre. Saloons are a great revenue, at least they used to be before the motion picture craze sobered up the people and brought them into a better mode of living. The writer cannot see how in any way a saloon proposition should be encouraged in conjunction with any recreation center where women and children are encouraged to attend. In every community there will be found some persons who would object to such close relationship. Offices and apartments are not likely to bring a return in a theatre property to make up for the necessary additional cost of building construction, unless it be the former in a large city, and then the theatre must be in the heart of the business and office district. (Continued on page 615.) The General Flower and Decorating Company 228 WEST 49th ST. NEW YORK CITY Grass Mats— Vines Scenic Effects Artificial Flower Studio HflBB Referenoes THE STRAND and KNICKERBOCKER THEATRES JOHN E. FELIPPELLI NEW YORK CITY Be sure to mention "MOTION TO YOU, MR. EXHIBITOR we have the following to announce A projecting machine will be ready for distribution on or about the first of May, 1916, that will have better features in it than the best and highest priced machine sold today. The mechanism will be constructed in such a way that you will be able to use it on any make stand or equipment without changing or altering same. A smaller amount of gears, meaning a smaller amount of expense and trouble for repairing, all gears running in oil all the time, meaning longer life to gears. Main shafts have ballbearings, meaning an everlasting wear on them with no chance of play or wabbling in course of running. All parts of machine except crank on one side covered, the other side free and open for repairing, threading or removing a part instantly. Four screws will remove the entire working movement, parts replaced screwed back in position, all this can be done in less than ten minutes. Case hardened, shaft, sprockets, and all parts that can be hardened. Gears made of phosphor bronze thick on facing, helical cut, noiseless, flickerless, durable, all for about $100.00 for the mechanism and about $175.00 to $200.00 for the finest and best complete equipments. You won't pay for name plates, serial numbers or fancy advertising, bear this in mind. TO YOU, MR. DEALER, we say this. We will not place any strings on our selling you our goods, we will not tell you that we are doing you a favor for letting you sell our goods. We will not let the so called JOBBER undersell you because he can buy at a jobber's price and you must buy at a dealer's price. There will be Jobbers, but they will be restricted from selling to the Exhibitor, they will act as accommodation for the dealer, and will not work against you. We will permit you to use your own ability, methods, efforts, and will not ruin your business at a time when it suits our convenience; bear this in mind. Now, Mr. Exhibitor and Dealer, it is up to you. We worked with you for 15 years giving you good merchandise at a lower price, and have prospered, thanks to the unprejudiced and fairminded. You will wait before you make any change in your equipment; it will more than pay you. We are incorporating for upwards of One Hundred Thousand Dollars. If you have money to invest, let us know. Stock will be for sale. We are not Bull Slingers; you know that. The Stern Manufacturing Co. Philadelphia, Pa. NEWS" when writing to advertisers.