History of vending machines in the USSR

One of the symbols of the Soviet past - the machine with soda. Obtaining for a penny sweet water, ordinary citizens were not even aware that they had participated in an ambitious project of the authorities of the USSR on trade automation.

The history of Soviet trade is now often considered one-sided. Basically remember hygienically clean shelves eighties. Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the USSR, each marked by his views on what should look like a socialist distribution system in general and trade in particular.

For example, Nikita Khrushchev, once in 1957, has concentrated power in his hands, he pointed out that a system built by Stalin too much relies on private owners and alien to socialism individual initiative. Before the war only 59, 4% turnover provided gosmagaziny, 21, 6% gave cooperatives, and 19% - collective farm markets. At the same time there was an opinion that the data on the markets where the products legitimately have implemented a wide variety of cooperatives and artisans have been significantly underestimated.

With a light hand of Khrushchev private traders began to squeeze the life out of the USSR. First of all, reduced the base for free trade: household farms and collective farmers banned, began forcibly to buy livestock, while cooperatives and cooperatives made public. Then began to incorporate more and more consumers' shopping in the state trading system.

In parallel with these processes, the authorities were looking for a new, more socialist ways of organizing retail, which were to facilitate the path to communism. For example, self-service shops and vending machines.

"Avtomattorg"

For some reason, it is believed that cell phones, selling all sorts of things, there were in the country immediately after the official visit of Khrushchev to the United States in 1959. It was the first visit of the head of such a level in the bastion of capitalism and, of course, the personal secretary general impressions significantly influenced the implementation of a set of plans. But the ideas on the introduction of vending appeared earlier in the country of socialism. The first time they seriously worked through yet Anastas Mikoyan, who then held the position of Deputy Chairman of People's Commissars and People's Commissar for the food industry at the same time. In 1937, he also visited the United States and became interested in the question of automation. On the mass introduction of vending machines Mikoyan is still not resolved, but the production plants for hot dogs and hamburgers launched development. This machine even described in the journal article "Engineering - Youth" (№1 1938). That's only the war and the subsequent campaign of anti-Americanisms prevent their occurrence.

For vending back in the mid-fifties, and this time approached comprehensively. The Commerce Department initially learn a foreign experience. For this purpose it was purchased 37 vehicles from the United States and Europe, not only from the capitalist countries. Five systems were brought from the German Democratic Republic. The list of vehicles purchased were even very exotic for the Union vending of ice and hot soups.

In 1955, as an experiment, launched two automatic store: "Steakhouse №9" Moscow "in the capital and" Steakhouse "Friendship" in Leningrad. Projects worked quite successfully. At least, the authorities were quick to report that at the same time each of them Serviced 120 people, but only for the day took place about ten thousand customers. Probably, in the imagination of the Soviet chiefs have appeared the picture of a future in which all trade occurs without human intervention, and hence without stealing, rudeness complaints and other shortcomings.

Already in the late fifties association "Avtomattorg" was created in Moscow, which was engaged in the Soviet vending. At its peak only in the capital in its network worked 74 points (ice cream parlors, tobacco shops and pubs) and almost three thousand machines that sell soda.

From soda to perfumes

To say that vending machines filled the cities and towns, it would be an exaggeration. However, it developed quickly in the sixties the industry, a lot of models have been released. Design them was simple, it was possible to dispense with electronics, mechanics only. Most machines required special tokens which are purchased at the box office, but some accept coins.

The most common machines have become, who sold sodas. They have survived almost to the beginning of the nineties. Working machines from the water supply, only required to regularly update the container with syrup. A glass of conventional soda cost a penny, with syrup - three. What is interesting, the model with paper cups are not accustomed. Due to lack of paper to establish their regular and sufficient production did not work, and the adhesive quality was so low that the fluid could not keep them. So that each machine was a conventional glass beaker.

They put machines with soda, not only on the streets. Many of the factories they could be installed directly on the shop floor. They supplied the workers with water. In such cases, the board is not required, it is enough to press the button and choose a sweet or plain water needed. By the way, they function at some enterprises today. Quite common are vending kvass, beer and wine. Structurally they are not far removed from those that poured soda. The main difference was that they were connected to the barrels with a drink, and to work required a badge, which they bought in the café or pub where they were installed.

It was also possible to meet the machines that were given cigarettes, newspapers, bottles with vegetable oil or milk. Convenient invention, given that in contrast to the shops they worked around the clock. The cafe were machines that could get sandwiches. In the subway there were machines that changed the trifle of 5 cents. At the post office such devices "smash" the coin on dvuhkopeechnye. Much less likely to come across the system, selling ice cream (located at the airport "Domodedovo" and the Moscow railway station in Leningrad) or sprinkles cologne (can be seen at the Exhibition Center and next to the hotel).

Coffee-Machine

Separately it is necessary to tell about a coffee machines, which began to open up in major cities. This format is also assembled in the United States. Their appearance was met with enthusiasm population. Some, like "Cafe Machine" on the Nevsky Prospect (Building 45) in Leningrad, became legends.

Nevsky institution was, in fact, a bistro, which is famous for two things: the-bag (delicious braised cabbage with sausages) and machines, issued to all who wish to beer and several kinds of sandwiches. To get past, I had to throw in a huge glass cabinet slot 15 cents.

It opened one of the first, as early as 1957. At first people I called the cafe "machine gun" or "American". During this period, the authorities considered ideologically important to achieve success in experiments with automation and the work of the closely watched. But in the future the quality of food and service have declined significantly and permanently stuck cafe is not the most harmonious name - "Gastritis". Already in the sixties we began to put machines in many pubs and eateries. But in general, the development of vending in the Soviet Union has stalled.

No mugs and without syrup

The reasons for the fall of interest in the machines can name a few. The most obvious - a departure from the political scene Khrushchev. Without it, the trade revolution motivate top was none. Bottom, too, was not found in the system of the Soviet caterers and retailers interested in vending. Machines do not really fit into the existing fraud and scams. While some managed to earn and soda.

For example, in the era of Andropov's "cleansing" had revealed evidence of large-scale embezzlement in the Kiev division "Avtomattorga". Its director and the staff learned how to correct the dose of syrup, reducing it from five grams to three. So it was not very much, ordered a glass with a thick bottom, as a result of their capacity decreased by 20 grams.

Already in the sixties, a coffee machines are faced with queues, and empirically revealed that catered to buyers ordinary people faster. And machines never enough container. In the early seventies it was not only for beer, but also for the circles, and later began to use even half-liter jars. In addition, the technique had to be regularly cleaned and maintained, for example, to merge unsold beer. Washer broke, repair constantly delayed.

Already in the mid-seventies of the ambitious project were only machines with soda. But they could be a few days without syrup. Throwing a penny, the buyer receives an ordinary, not sweet water. That did not add to the popularity of vending. Pubs, cafes, shops were closed and began to work as a normal catering, appliances appeared in a landfill. In the same after a while turned the entire Soviet system of trade. Who knows, maybe the first event precipitated the second?