OR - Lottery deli a magnet for drop-in gamblers
Lottery deli a magnet for drop-in gamblers
Dotty’s - Video machines, floral decor and no ban on
smoking make it a local hangout
Thursday, October 26, 2006
KAREN JOHNSON
OREGON CITY — It’s 11 a.m., and already more than 100
customers have made their way through the glass doors of Dotty’s.
When manager Sharman Hunt opened up the store at 7 a.m. on
a recent day, she said several people were lined up outside, waiting
to buy cigarettes or take their chances on one of the store’s six
video lottery machines.
Shelley DeBurque, 39, who works next door as a cashier at
Danielsons Fresh Marketplace, is one of the regulars. She drops in for
smoking breaks.
"There’s good people in here and great customer service,"
DeBurque said, holding a Camel Light in one hand and a soft drink in
the other. The cigarettes are among the cheapest around, and several
co-workers also drop in during breaks or after shifts.
Hunt said the Oregon City Dotty’s started as a safe place
for women to gamble. The walls are draped with floral wallpapers and
decorated with hand-crafted wicker wreaths, plastic flowers and ceramic
farm animals. It has since become a local hangout.
"When you know a customer’s cigarette brand, it makes them
feel like it’s a home away from home," Hunt said. "We just take care
of them," she said.
Since the first Dotty’s store opened in Oregon more than a
decade ago, the chain has blurred the distinctions between smoke shop,
deli and minicasino. Unlike traditional gambling establishments,
"video delis" are attracting customers who might stay away from casinos
or taverns, said Chuck Baumann, an Oregon Lottery spokesman.
"A middle-aged woman who might not feel comfortable going
into a bar, for example, can go to a deli-like establishment that is
less intimidating," Baumann said.
Five of Clackamas County’s top 10 video lottery retailers
sport Dotty’s cursive red logo. Countywide, Dotty’s is leading a
surge in video lottery sales, which increased 30 percent from 2005
to 2006.
In 2006, the six video lottery machines at Dotty’s in
Oregon City racked up an average of $215,271 in sales, for a combined
total of $1.3 million. Other Dotty’s outlets had even more sales.
"Many of these establishments probably wouldn’t be in
business without video poker or slots," said Peter Walsh, program manager
for Cascadia Behavioral Center, which treats problem gamblers.
Michael Ehrler, 61, calls Dotty’s his "home base." He pops
in with his Queensland heeler, named Hootie, several times a day for a
plate of fries, a round of video poker or a root beer.
At Dotty’s "People come in for a beer, a smoke and then
maybe to sit down for a game," said Ehrler, who likes the convenience of
Dotty’s location.
"Sometimes I just come by to check in."
Karen Johnson: 503-294-5918;
karenjohnson@news.oregonian.com
