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There are 7 comments for this item.

Posted by Duff at 12:54 am (PST) on Tue December 6, 2022
A documentary film, titled "The Automat," was recently released. Mel Brooks is prominently featured in it. I rented it from Amazon, but it may be available elsewhere also.
Posted by GlenEllyn at 7:54 pm (PDT) on Wed November 1, 2017
I remember my great aunt taking my sister and me to an automat somewhere in NYC. I thought they were the coolest thing! (I was eight.)
Posted by Duff at 1:13 am (PDT) on Fri October 13, 2017
Yes, Chuck. Just Philly and NYC.
Posted by Chuck Kopsho at 11:58 pm (PDT) on Thu October 12, 2017
Were automats an east coast thing? Cuz I never saw 'em here in SoCal.
Posted by Bob Matthews at 3:58 pm (PDT) on Sat April 27, 2013
I seem to recall Dennis James on T.V. calling these "Less work for mother retail shops." Or was that something else?
Posted by Max at 6:35 pm (PDT) on Sun May 24, 2009
Put your coffee cup under the lion's head spout before you drop your coin or watch it be dispensed down the drain. Before fast food, there was the automat and the luncheonette.
Posted by Duff at 2:35 pm (PDT) on Sat May 9, 2009
My Dad brought me here for lunch whenever I came to the office with him. You needed lots and lots of nickels, which is all the machines took. It wasn't really so "automated" -- there were people behind the wall, putting items in the windows -- but it was a fun gimmick.

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