The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Visitors to the Chinook Pharmacy might have seen the new 'dime store horse' at the front of the store. The mechanical horse is a fairly recent acquisition by Kelcey Diemert, who owns and operates the pharmacy with wife Nancy. Kelcey said, "I saw this horse for sale online. I'd always wanted one of those old timey horses and ended up buying it."

Anyone of a certain age will recall the coin-operated kiddie rides that stood out front many businesses in the 1950's and 60's. Rides came in many styles-boats, cars, rockets, mini-merry-go-rounds and exotic animals. But, the horse seemed to be the ride of choice and the best. The most expensive coin operated ride for a merchant to have was a horse shaped and painted to look like Trigger or Champion. Senior readers and fans of old western movies will recognize Trigger and Champion as the horses of Roy Rogers and Gene Autry, respectively.

Seeing the horse got me to reminiscing. I remember the coin-operated horse in front of Walkers' Dime Store on the square in Pinckneyville, Illinois, my hometown. And it got me to wondering about the history of the dime store horse and how they have fared over the years. I learned a few interesting facts about the rides, but first, more about Kelcey Diemert's horse.

The new old coin-operated horse at the Chinook Pharmacy

The exact age of the horse is indeterminate, as is the manufacturer or if the horse ever had a name. The horse was originally part of a video arcade at the Holiday Village Shopping Center in Havre. Steve Norby, who had the horse for sale, said he bought it from a co-worker named Zeb Nicholson, also of Havre.

Nicholson explained he got the horse, and several other arcade items, when the Game Point arcade closed in January, 2011. Nicholson originally bought several arcade items for his daughter. Nicholson sold the horse to Norby when his daughter got too old for it. Likewise, Norby put the horse up for sale when his own grandkids outgrew the ride.

Glenda Stickle, a teacher in Havre, was an owner when the Game Point closed. She said, "I remember we put a lot of stuff on eBay, but I remember that mechanical horse and we did sell it locally." Asked about the excellent condition of the ride, Stickle added, "When we had the horse it was always inside. It originally was part of Aladdin's Castle, also an arcade at the mall, and as far as I know they always kept it inside."

Sitting inside the front of the pharmacy the horse has a shiny gleam to it. It has a real leather saddle and halter. Diemert said, "As far as I can tell it's all original." Being a fan of the old "Bonanza" series Diemert was excited when he discovered the theme to "Bonanza" plays when the ride is activated. It's still a quarter to ride, though back in the 50's I could swear rides were only a dime.

Before demonstrating how the horse works, Diemert asserted, "The horse doesn't have a weight limit." He added, "I tell people I bought myself a quarter horse. Just put in a quarter and away you go." He pulled out his phone and showed me photos of wife Nancy astride the horse, flashing a carbine as she rode the range. He said, "I have a genuine Daisy Red Ryder BB gun to go with the horse, but you know the old problem with 'you'll shoot your eye out.' The BB gun was not appropriate for the store."

One additional item adds some authenticity for riders-a genuine Stetson cowboy hat they can perch on their head. The hat also has some local history. Inside the band is a label that reads "The Hub, Harlem, Montana." Some checking around I discovered The Hub was a men's clothing store started in 1948 by Kermit Rasmussen. He died in 1981 and a former employee ran the store until it closed in the early 1990's. The Hub was located on Main Street where Granny's Closet currently operates.

As to the proceeds from the old-timey ride, Diemert said, "Nancy wants the proceeds to go to PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving), the local animal shelter. We've already made our first donation of $11 to the shelter." That's 44 rides to support a campaign I've labelled, "Thundering hooves for neglected paws."

Bonnie Weber, speaking for PAWS, said, "I think donating the proceeds from "pony rides for PAWS' is a fun and generous idea. Just this morning I saw a little kid come out of the pharmacy with a big smile. The mom said the child enjoyed a ride on the coin operated horse and I know PAWS will benefit."

A short history of the dime store horse

In a 1953 "Billboard Magazine" (a industry publication focused on entertainment news and trends) a special supplement was devoted to "coin-operated kiddie rides." On the cover page of the supplement, this short statement described the start of the coin-operated ride: "A small-town Missourian put a coin chute on a mechanical horse...laying groundwork for 1953's fastest-growing (entertainment) business-a rare combination of wholesome fun and clever merchandising." That first horse was modified for coin operation in 1931. The 1950's and 60's were the heyday for the dime store rides.

The supplement had numerous articles about where the rides could be placed to produce the most ridership, noting "some locations are reporting as much as $100 a week in revenues." A full page listed names of manufacturers, contacts and specific types of rides available from each production company. Several full-page ads featured pictures, and prices, of rides. Remember the old boats that you could ride instead of a horse? They were the cheapest to purchase, no wonder there were so many of them.

Eventually the dime store horse lost some of its appeal-market trends change even with kids. However, there are still a number of manufacturers of coin-operated rides. While horses are still popular, other animals and movie-related themes tend to dominate the newer rides-like the Batmobile, rockets and Star Wars-like rides. Interestingly, there's also a booming market in what is described in the business as "recrafted rides."

Recrafted rides are 1940-50 era rides that have been refurbished. One of the biggest businesses dealing in refurbished rides is Denver-based Kiddie Rides USA (see http://www.kiddieridesusa.com). Owner Damon Carson has restored 1000+ of the old rides, many for businesses with specialized color schemes or a company logo incorporated into a new paint scheme. Doting grandparents are also good prospects and often are looking to acquire a ride that was special to their own childhood.

In an interview for the "Chicago Tribune" Carson said recrafted rides typically cost about 40% of a new ride. And, since they all are made of fiberglass, the bodies don't normally deteriorate. Carson explained that when his crew rehabs a ride they often correct a design flaw, like moving wiring or adding internal framework to strengthen a ride. And with new automotive-quality paints, the paint is often better than the original.

And there's no shortage of used rides to recraft. Another dealer in used rides said when Wal-Mart made a decision to remove all coin-operated rides there was suddenly about 30,000 rides available. Carson said he seldom has to look for used rides to buy, folks seek him out to sell a ride they have.

So, Kelcey and Nancy Diemert have joined an entertainment tradition that dates back to the early 1930's. Their pristine horse, antique cowboy hat and John Wayne cutout that watches over each rider, will hopefully continue to thrill young riders as the kids take a "Pony Ride for PAWS."