The news in Instant RePlay these last few weeks leading into IAAPA Expo 2019 might cause readers to think this industry revolved around nothing but the fun center market. But, as any good “coin machiner” knows, there’s much more to this business and proof positive was a recent visit to the Rock-Ola jukebox factory in Torrance.
Alexander Walder-Smith and Glenn Streeter with the Rock-Ola team in the Torrance, Calif., factory where production is ramping up once again.
RePlay’s check-in with President Glenn Streeter and new owner Alexander Walder-Smith found the factory full of nostalgic-styled Bubblers in production and the crew back to full, five-day workweeks. On the floor was a container load of new jukeboxes ready to ship to the U.K. for the European market.
In addition to increasing production, the team has been hard at work technologically. “We’re reinvigorating the entire line,” said Walder-Smith of the CD, Music Center and (newest) vinyl jukeboxes. He said they’re even bringing the RS-3200 speaker back into production. On tap for 2020, will be new models, improvements of the speaker system and the two-tube preamp for the vinyl jukebox. The focus in January will be to redevelop the Music Center significantly to do more things, the duo said.
To bolster the company’s marketing efforts, the newly redesigned and more robust website has gone live. (See it at www.rock-ola.com.)
Glenn Streeter’s collection of David Rockola memorabilia now includes this autographed 1944 Rock-Ola Rockets baseball from the women’s team that played during the war and up until the 1950s.
