Dotty's

How does this business make any money?

Quote: s2dbaker

How does this business make any money?

Very low overhead. Bargain rental rates on property, and low salaries. They cater to people with a nicotine addiction so they get a lot of people to come in.

Slot machines are generally solid moneymakers. It's just if there are too many of them, and if they come with too much overhead that you end up with a money losing combination. It's generally more profitable to cater to addictions than it is to sell milk, bread, and tins of tuna fish.

i recently got a mailer from dottys. what did they give me? a coupon for $1.00 in FSP.

Quote: pacomartin

They cater to people with a nicotine addiction so they get a lot of people to come in.

Several are Non-Smoking. They are small, unpretensious, have lots of games, hand out an occasional twenty dollar bill to regulars who seem depressed. What more do some people want? They don't want a PA system or Specials or Yuppies annoying them. Some of their locations are in shopping centers that have lost their anchor tenants. Many patrons get their by walking or by bus. Its airconditioned and what more is a retiree going to do with their retirement check? Read a book? They ain't done that in thirty years. Go on a trip? Every week they go to the trailer park's laundry room, what more of a trip do they need than that?

Personal visits from Dotty also help. (Heh, heh.... Paco).

Several Dotty Look-A-Likes opened, so other entrepreneurs must think its a good formula. Stations casinos thought it was too good a formula.

When I looked last year, 76 of them were 15 slots machines, and only 14 were over 15 slots (with none over 50 machines). The tax rate on a property with 15 machines or less was very low, as they are meant to supplement the income from a bar, bowling alley, or a store.

Personally, I am more offended by Albertson's, Safeway, or Kmart going into the gambling business. As far as I am concerned, they are simply targeting the most vulnerable people to pump up their profits. I think that smokers deserve a place to go in a world increasingly hostile to them.

Quote: pacomartin

Personally, I am more offended by Albertson's, Safeway, or Kmart going into the gambling business.

That is really Stations Casinos doing the upgrades to grocery store slots and making them all one-players-Card Clubs with points.

News: Dotty's buys Hacienda out near Boulder.

LINK to ReviewJournal article on Tavern Operator Buying the Hacienda. There is no mention as to whether Aunt Dotty will make a personal appearance now that she is going legit and upscale and all that fancy stuff.

Quote: FleaStiff

News: Dotty's buys Hacienda out near Boulder.

I was just there in February for a brief visit on my way to Hoover Dam. It was large and empty.

Quote: FleaStiff

That is really Stations Casinos doing the upgrades to grocery store slots and making them all one-players-Card Clubs with points.

Station's Casino's is not involved in any of the grocery stores. Most of them were controlled by E.T.T. until Golden Gaming bought them about 18 months ago. I believe Golden now has over 800 locations on their route.

Although to be fair, there is a family connection between them. Golden's CEO Sartini is married to a Fertitta.

Quote: pacomartin

Personally, I am more offended by Albertson's, Safeway, or Kmart going into the gambling business. As far as I am concerned, they are simply targeting the most vulnerable people to pump up their profits.

People who buy groceries? That's a rather diverse group.

Quote: Nareed

People who buy groceries? That's a rather diverse group.

It reflects poverty, lack of anyone to whom the task can be delegated, an unpleasant trip (time and temperature) to an unpleasant place (plain vanilla store rather than upscale).