NEW YORKER of the WEEK
Ken Goldberg
The heartbeat of NY bars,
taverns, clubs!
Year 2022 will mark the 80th
anniversary of a Woodside,
Queens-based two generation
market leader company, Emerson
Amusements (www.emersonamusements.
com).
From the time he was a youngster,
Ken Goldberg, the son of the founder,
was taught how to operate and how to
present jukebox music and games by
his father. Ken has never been afraid
to take on industry challenges often
imposed by government, and successfully
overcome them with solutions.
Emerson Amusements and Ken
Goldberg have emerged to become
what is considered, the largest greater
New York metro regional vendor for
jukebox music, games and “independent”
ATM machines in bars, taverns,
clubs, entertainment centers, and food
establishments.
In New York State, there are presently
some 18,000 on premises locations
licensed by the State Liquor
Authority, most which have suffered
in the past eighteen months due to
Covid. Ken Goldberg believes that:
“Bars, taverns, and clubs combined
with restaurants, special events centers,
and leisure facilities are trying to
make a comeback. A number of these
establishments received some government
assistance. However, often government
agencies sufficate economic
development instead of encouraging
this sector’s vitality. Government
agencies like the building department,
the health department, or the liquor
authority need to be less myopic and
insensitive, playing gotcha. If the business
owners in this sector have issues,
these agencies need to be constructive
in facilitating solutions. Anyone can
see how many vacant properties and
empty storefronts have caused negative
vibes and decay in many NYC
neighborhoods. Government needs to
work with these businesses so they can
flourish. This renewed prosperity will
translate into more tax revenues, more
employment/vendor opportunities,
and more ‘nightlife’ vitality for NYC.”
Ken Goldberg’s equipment and
services function as the “heartbeat”
of these establishments. Ken is able
to apply his decades of experience to
a bar/tavern/club/entertainment center
operation. He understands what
amusement games, what jukebox music,
or what ATM services will become
effective for a location to generate use,
to provide an extra purpose for the
customer to spend time and money at
the premise, and to bring revenue to
both Emerson Amusements and the
location owner.
This may take the form of a pool
table, a shuffle board, a skee ball, a
“Buck Hunter” game. “There is an
abundance of exciting, intriguing
games in 2021, which people of all
ages and skill sets love to play,” Ken
describes. Ken and Emerson have an
excellent, honored reputation among
distributors and manufacturers who
source these amusements. For a number
of years, Ken has been pro-active
in creating leagues for different amusements.
“The leagues promote excitement,
competition, and greater interest
surrounding a particular game.
Customers connected to leagues increase
the consistency where they visit
a certain location as a participant of a
league,” Ken describes.
“With music, the jukebox, which
has been a venerable institution for
nearly 150 years has survived the test
of time for its role in most of my locations,”
Ken states. Ken/Emerson
ranks as one of the largest operators
in the nation for AMI Entertainment,
one of two remaining American jukebox
providers. “Today’s jukebox is
nothing like years ago,” Ken waxes.
“Providing tens of thousands of music
artists and selections, with high quality
audio and interesting photos, graphics,
and video, the jukebox is an entertainment
center onto itself. The juke
has the capability to be displayed on
screens throughout a premises. The
jukebox’s presence in a modest bar or
tavern automatically elevates the location
to a new level.”
When Michael Bloomberg was
Mayor, locations were given permission
to present nine games. Ken
explains: “This initiative brought renewed
life to many locations. It helped
the economic development. Yet, in our
post-Covid period, there is so much
more potential if government policy
makers are in a cooperative mode with
the members of our sector. I am optimistic
that incoming Mayor Eric Adams
sees this!”
Ken Goldberg was a prime mover
in convincing government officials to
facilitate outdoor dining and beverage
service. “For many business owners in
our space, it enabled them to stay open
and survive,” Ken analyzes. “Again, it
is incumbent on government to be in
a cooperative mode to help these business
owners, rather than pounce on
them with penalties, summonses, and
impossible regulations.”
In addition to his expertise he is
called upon to share with government
officials, Ken’s role in NY jukebox music
makes music artists reach out to him.
For more than a decade, Ken Goldberg
has been President of the Amusement
And Music Owners Association of New
York, Inc. He is also active in the Greater
New York Metro Regional ATM Association.
His peers respect his leadership
in fulfilling these roles.
The late B.J. Thomas with Ken Goldberg
10 December 9, 2021 Schneps Media
/www.emersonamuse-ments.com
/www.emersonamuse-ments.com
/www.emersonamuse-ments.com
