Boxoffice-October.01.1955

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The shining Ititchen in the remodeled snack bar at the Shepherd Drive-ln Theatre, Houston, Tex., shown
at the right, boasts a hamburger grill and three deep fryers as well as two hun warmers, two frankfurter
heaters, two chili warmers and a 48-cup coffee maker. At the left the beverage machines may be
seen as well as the neat installation of an ice-making machine behind the counter. Left to right behind
the counter ore David Simpson, concessions manager, porter Ruby Beck, waitress Brendo Irving, Assistant
Manager John Boosey, waitress Ruby Potter In front of the counter, center, are officer B. B. Howard and
Manager Carl Sheffield.
50% INCREASE IN CONCESSIONS SALES
FOLLOWS 50% INCREASE IN SPACE
New Equipment and Redecorafion Also a Factor
B/ IDA VANDIVIER
ifK MAJOR OPERATION has been going
on at the Shepherd Diive-In Theatre's concessions
building. Houston, Tex. We have
no "before" picture to prove it. but according
to Manager Carl Sheffield, there
just wasn't much of anything there at all.
The original building, which at an approximate
26x32 feet, was about comparable to
the .size of the restrooms building.
On a four-foot lower level than the restrooms,
the little stand was entered on the
southwest at the foot of narrow, straightdown
steps. The exit on the north was
more of the same. A drab little kitchen hid
itself in the southeast corner. The counter
stretched about the center area running
north-south and a small gate at the north
end of the counter opened into the customers'
side. There was no other door—no
storage space. Such things as could be
stored were kept In the screen tower. The
.scant equipment was worn and outdated.
Two months ago 50 per cent more space
was added on the north, the old north wall
being torn out. A storage room, in which
there is a new ten-foot freezer, occupies
the northeast end. A new kitchen, with a
double .sink with Masonite tops, and a back
door come next. The .space where the old
kitchen was holds a glistening stainless
steel backbar with stainless steel-covered
walls on either side and a bright red Marlite
panel in between. Instead of being
hidden, as was the old kitchen, the bar
shows off its shining 36-inch Starmaster
hamburger grill and three deep fryers—one
Starmaster and two Hotpoints.
Other new equipment includes two bun
warmers and two frankfurter heaterwarmers,
both Starmasters; a West Bend
48-cup coffee maker; two Nesco chili
warmers; an orange drink dispenser and
a snow-cone machine; a Cretors popcorn
popper; a stainless steel and glass popcorn
warmer, and a Scotsman automatic ice
machine which makes 1,000 pounds of
flaked ice per day. It can be seen in the
center of the piioto under the "Hot Coffee
10c" sign.
Strictly new. is all lighting, much of it
fluorescent. Four electric heaters have
been installed. Four speakers are ready to
All equipment installation was done
go in.
by Benson and Co.
The serving counters are of bright red
Marliie with stainless steel tops. The
backbar behind the wider counter is of
plywood, with sliding doors, and stainless
steel top. The floor is asphalt tile in alternating
green and cream marbleized blocks.
The ceiling and three upper walls are a
pale green that blends nicely with the
darker red of the lower three walls. Adding
real zip is the wall section behind the wide
counter, which is painted in four-inch wide
alternating bright-red and white stripes.
To top off the 50 per cent increase in
pace, the fine new equipment, and the gay
coloring of the interior— all of which have
hslped the management realize a good 50
per cent increase in business in the past
two months—the waitresses have discarded
their usual blue uniforms and been newly
outfitted in smart pink ones!
100 CHAIRS ON PATIO
On the outside of the concessions building
was added an approximate 50x75-foot
patio, in which are 100 snack bar chairs,
and six speakers. The patio extends the
full length of the concessions building, extending
across to the restrooms on the west
and along its entire length on the north.
The entrance is now through double doors
on the north of the building, reached by
new concrete steps from east or west, and
with attractive safety railings. A new
double-door exit, leads up new steps from
the center-west of the concessions building
into the patio. The old entrance on
the south is now the exit into the lot. It
also has new two-way steps to accommodate
more people, safely and comfortably,
While the concessions area has had the
greatest renovating, it is not all the im-j
provement at Shepherd Drive-In. Wide
screen and CinemaScope have been installed.
A new Todd fogging machine haf
replaced the old one. Two Mighty 90 projectors
are in the booth—from Sterlinf
Sales in Dallas. And finally, the galvanl
ized fence surrounding this 500-car theatrt
has been painted with aluminum pain]|
which makes it look exactly new!
Chewing Gum a Dental Aid
Chewmg !4um slows down acid formatioi
by 36 per cent, stimulates the saliva am
helps clear the mouth of sugar thus re
ducing tooth decay, according to Drs. A. ./
Yurkstas and W. Emerson of Tufts Colleg
Dental School. Boston. According to a rej
cent report in Candy Industry the profes
sors tested three brands of gum on 4
volunteer chewers and came up with th
observation that "... to Imply that a
sugar-containing foods are dangerous
[
not in keeping with the results of scientlfj
'
researches."
22
The MODERN THEATRE SECTIC
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