Basement Malt Shops. Let's see them,

[bcharlton]

I would like to see some others so I can "borrow" some  ideas.  Fell free to take any ideas from these.   I still use it almost every day.

BC

[SIGNGUY]

IDEAS??? for what .. you have one of the coolest basement Diners I've seen... very cool, I wish my room was half that cool... mine is more of just a throw it on the wall to get it out of the way room...

I'd love to go the 50's theme on it...

[davethebirdman]

I would love the space to theme.. I'm like you John. Everey inch counts..

[mznb1u]

That is a great set-up.  I hope to get my basement looking like that someday.  Just need to find the time and bucks--college tuition is getting in the way.

I have a Victor C-45 for the bar and I already have the vintage soda stools to go with it.  Cold drinks will be served from the Vendo 81-D at parties and from the Cavalier USS-64 on a daily basis.  I will also have a 50's era wood phone booth with a vintage AE Phone.  Got the Seeburg Model 161 Juke to crank the tunes and a few signs to hang on the wall.  Candy will be from the Stoner Jr with Gum Wheel and Stoner Theater.  Games will be played on a 30's/40's era shuffleboard table.  You will also be able to buy a pack of candy smokes from my National 7 pull cigarette machine.  I have a condom machine and tampon/minipad machines for the bathroom!  You will even be able to weigh yourself and get your fortune on my American Mfg. penny scale!

And the best part is that the War Department is in agreement!

Now if I could only find the time and money!  It all looks perfect in my mind!

  Tim

[bcharlton]

It took me 10 years, marriage counseling and determination to do this but the rewards are amazing.  To have a group of 9 year old's doing the jitterbug from "At the Hop" from my Seeburg 100c is priceless.

The 50s were a special time for this country.  I wish I would have grown up in the 50s and not the 70s.  Can you imagine a 1970s themed game room?  A disco ball, pet rocks, mood rings, Donna Summer on a Seeburg Disco 160??

Sorry but I just got sick for a moment.

Here's a few more one with my Midget Alley Bowler

BC

[Kilroy]

BC,
I too was part of the 70's, the generation between LSD and REM, and my friends can't understand why I feel more at home  in a game room that will look like a malt shop than a setup reminiscent of Studio 54.
Yet, Man Caves a few weeks back did a Disco lounge for a guy, then the following  week or two later did a 50's malt shop.

Like Tim i have most of the  layout and  final product in my head,  but have enough of the fin stuff to get mine started.

[bcharlton]

Kilroy,

My advise is to just get started.  It took me months to plan and 2 years to build.  People are so enamoured with the old coin op stuff that they fail to see my terribly carpentry.  The stainless steel quilted pattern walls really pops all the chrome.

BC

[bubba]

That is truly an amazing room. That room needs to be in a magazine! Another 70's -80's guy here. My basement is full of arcade games, soda machine and soon to be a juke... No theme though, just a lot of stuff..

[Matt]

Sooo cool. I can only dream of a room like that. Maybe someday, down the road. At this point, I have just one Coke machine in my kitchen.

[Jacko1070]

Ideas?   The room look fairly perfect already.  THANK You for the ideas.  I'm in the process and finishing my basement and I thank you for giving me something to strive for.   Beautiful room BC!!

[BrianS]

Great looking room.  Love the Frostie Rootbeer sign!

[tkaz]

Here's a few from a family friend who has the whole first floor of his house done...the only room not done is the bedroom!

[Swachtelncc]

Cool basement, nice job

[bcharlton]

Hey Katz,

I always wondered if the life size malt shop mannequin freaked people out.  My wife will not let me put one because she thinks it would look "eerie"

I actually like them.

BC

[RC kid]

very cool!

I too am a product of the seventies and early eighties.

[bcharlton]

I think there is a pattern here.  Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s think the stuff our parants grew up with was way cooler.  As much as I liked putting a quarter into Space Invaders in 1979, I think it is a lot more fun to put a dime into a 1950s style bowling machine.

To hear the mechanical scoring wheels  click back to 0 and the sounds of the 1950s arcade style after a dime is inserted, seems a lot more interesting.

BC

[Creighton]

BC,
Spot on. Outstanding job on the malt shop!
Bunch of the late 70's early 80's stuff seems to show on CL all the time and for next to nothing if lucky.
I'm grabbing the items I remember.
Creighton
 

[globalcompressors]

I don't have a basement... 

Very nice pictures!

[mznb1u]

Been doing some cleaning in the basement this week and got a few items organized.  Also got a few signs up on the walls.  Missing from the pics are the Seeburg Model 161 Juke and the Victor C45 cooler/bar but you will see what direction I am headed.  Got to make room in another area for some of the fitness equipment that you see.  Malt shop is not yet open for business but we are a bit closer.  A few of the machines that you see are going up for sale and I will post that information under my other posting on the topic.

BTW--the tin Coke sign above the window is one that I found in the back room of my dad's drugstore right before we sold the place.  Glad I saved that one!

To the pictures and Happy New Year everyone!

  Tim

[mznb1u]

A few people have asked what machines and such where in the photos so I thought I would post:

Picture 1--40's or 50's vintage 14 foot shuffleboard table--I believe it is an American (no mfg. plate) because they were the manufacturer who made most of the tables with bumpers on the sides.  3 foot Coca Cola button circa 1954.  Coca Cola Sled sign--not sure of the year but marked AM90 in the corner.  Schwinn OCC Chopper.

Picture 2--Schwinn OCC Chopper. 5 wood Coke Cases on top of tool box including two from Wyandotte Coca Cola which was started by my wife's family.  The box in front of the tool box holds a tampon/mini-pad dispenser that will be installed in the bathroom next to the condom machine.  Left to right--Wood grain Stoner Theater (early version), Blue Stoner Theater (more recognized version), Hammertone Green Stoner 180 with Gum Wheel--for sale, Two-tone Brown and Bronze National 7 Pull Cigarette Machine--Candyette Candy Bar Vendor on top, Dark Grey Stoner Jr. with Gum Wheel--Coke poster from my Dad's drug store soda fountain on top, Coke display rack circa 60's?.

Picture 3--More of the same from atop the Bow Flex.

Picture 4--Left to right--Vendo 81D (most recent acquisition), Cavalier USS-8-64 circa 1976--my first machine and everyday user, American Mfg. Penny Scale--similar to one that was in my Dad's drugstore, Stoner 180 with gum wheel (later version)--for sale.  And a glimpse of my son's boxing workout station--a Christmas gift.

  Tim

[bcharlton]

Tim,

Is the blue stoner an original factory theatre or a converted one?  It looks like the height of a junior?  Why is it so shorter than the Stoner Senior?

BC

[stburger]

looking to buy a stoner candy machine. Any help would be appreciated

[mznb1u]

The machine is definitely an original Theater but the blue paint was done by the previous owner.  I know there were a couple of different heights available for the bases on these machines.  Some had storage while others did not.  I have seen Senior's with the taller base that has a cabinet door and a shorter base that is open in the back and does not have a door on the front but the base was original to the machine.  My Junior is taller because it has the 120 base on it and that was taller than the typical Junior base.  I would suspect that the base on my Theater might have been swapped out by the vending company if the original had been damaged but I have seen others with the shorter base.  Curtis would probably be the best one to weigh in on this question. 

The aqua colored Theater on Curtis' Stoner Candy Machine Instructions and Parts Manual has the shorter base in the picture below.  My guess is that it could be ordered either way.

  Tim

[mznb1u]

looking to buy a stoner candy machine. Any help would be appreciated

PM sent.  I have two Stoners for sale see this thread:

http://soda-machines.com/discussions/index.php/topic,14249.0.html

  Tim

[bcharlton]

Thanks Tim,

I know that the Stoners changed the base heights.  I have a very short Junior that I think was shortened by the vendor not the factory but I may never know.

BC

[Poptop]

Been a way and now I am checking in... found this cool/awesome and amaziing thread...so I had to jump in.  Thing is the photos are on the other computer..at home, but here is a link to the website I learned to build to show case my "toys."   

Enjoy... http://www.unclebillsgarage.com/uncle_bills_garage_018.htm