HOLLY HILL, Fla. – For 50 years, Bob’s Space Racers in Holly Hill has been manufacturing large arcade games for amusement parks and fairs--including a favorite of many, whac-a-mole, which was invented by the company’s founder.
Now, the Volusia County business is making hand sanitizer stations to help out during the coronavirus pandemic.
"There was not a good system, nobody could get it. Anywhere that did have it, it was on the floor, it was all over the place, it was not a good system to dispense that," Jack Cook, president of Bob's Space Racers said.
Cook said some designs aren’t as functional because they dispense too much hand sanitizer.
"When you have a gallon of jug with 128 gallons and the pump pumps 128 pumps, that's really not enough for a gallon container," he said.
Their new concept is a hands-free unit. When a person walks up to the station, they place their hand under the dispenser and with one foot press down on a pedal. Cook said the unit dispenses just the right amount.
“Ours are pumping 500 to 600 units. So, if you take that into, you know, the usage, it pays for itself very quickly,” he said. “It’s a product that’s really needed and I think what we have here is a solution for everyone.”
Since launching their new design a week ago, employees have been working every day. Cook said orders from across the country have been coming in daily. For the company, it’s not just a way to get results for the community -- it’s also about staying afloat during the economic crisis.
“This is kind of a step up for us to do something to keep going if game sales do slow down a little bit. We’re just trying to do our part and survive just like everybody else," Cook said. "It’s a big challenge.”