Butler Amusements

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Butler Amusements, Inc. was founded in 1970 by George "Bud" Butler and his son Earl "Butch" and Bud's wife Evalyn who served as treasurer of the company. The show made its debut at a shopping center in Mountain View, California.

But the Butler family's interest in the outdoor amusement industry actually started years before in their hometown of Austin, Minnesota. Bud worked at the Hormel Meat Company while simultaneously operating a grocery store ''Bud & Bob's" in Austin. On weekends, Bud would take game concessions out to carnivals playing in neighboring communities.

When Butch was 13 years old, he joined his father on these weekend and summer excursions through the Midwest, operating games on several carnivals including Merriam's Midways, which is still in operation today. Soon the father and son weekend avocation became a full time occupation.

THE MOVE OUT WEST

By 1960, Bud had built an arsenal of games. In that year, he purchased an Aerofilliate Kiddie Ride and moved, with his wife Evie, to California where he became associated with several West Coast-based carnivals including Foley & Burk Combined Shows, Monarch Pacific, and West Coast Shows. Butch remained in Austin, attending junior college and managing the family grocery store. During the summers, he continued to operate his food and game concessions with Merriam's Midways as well as with several other shows. In 1967, married and with two daughters--Tami, 5, and Kelley, 3, Butch and Mary Lou moved west to join his parents on the Monarch Pacific Shows. But the demise of the carnival was imminent and the Butlers began making plans for a carnival of their own. The sale of the family grocery store in Austin, Minnesota provided funding for a new show’s first ride – a Tilt-A-Whirl. The Butler family’s migration to California was complete when Butch's sister Colleen and her husband Eugene settled on the west coast.

BUTLER AMUSEMENTS OFFICIAL DEBUT

Bud and Butch had joined West Coast Shows—Bud as a unit manager and Butch managing the office. With this experience under their belts father and son decided to form their own show. In late 1969, the Butlers purchased a small carnival owned by Larry Ferris. Adding their own rides and equipment to the Ferris collection, Butler Amusements officially debuted at a shopping center in Mountain View, California in the spring of 1970. That winter, the Butlers signed their first fair contract at the Redwood Empire Fair in Ukiah, California.

From these humble beginnings, Butch and Mary would raise their four daughters and grow Butler Amusements into one of the most successful carnival operations in the country.

BUTLER AMUSEMENTS TODAY

Butch is especially proud that his four daughters, Tami, Kelley, Kris, and Jill, and their husband are all actively involved in the management of the corporation, on the threshold of a new generation at Butler Amusements, Inc. His son Sean visits the show during summer vacations and holidays from school.

Tami, Butch Butler's first born, is married to Ron Quint and serves as the Office Manager at Butler Amusements Winter Quarters located in Santa Nella, CA. Ron serves as the Show’s Director of Transportation and is responsible for coordinating the movement of all Butler equipment from one event to the next. The Quints have three children - Amanda, Marissa, and Kyle.

Kelley, the second of Butch’s four daughters, is married to Bart Finlayson. Kelley operates and coordinates the routing of food concessions on the Show and manages her father's unit office along with her mother, Mary Rhodes. This includes handling tickets, payroll and accounting. The Finlaysons have three children - Nathan, Brittany and Ashlie. Nathan and Brittany bot h own and operate their own food concessions on the show.

Daughter Kris and her husband Mick Brajevich together manage the largest traveling unit, serving the California North Bay, Oregon and Washington. Kris and Mick also own and operate their rides and food concessions, as well. Both Kris and Mick bring to their management the skills of many years experience in food, games and rides. Kris and Mick have four children – Michelle, Jacob, Dillon, and Sydney Lou.

Butch's youngest daughter, Jill, and her husband Lance Moyer travel with their own unit during the season. Lance serves as Unit Manager and Jill is the Office Manager. Jill and Lance also operate rides and food concessions, but have taken on added responsibilities in management handling the myriad of details that go into the operation of the carnival. Because of her personality and charm, Jill is often called upon for television and newspaper interviews, promoting a particular fair where Butler Amusement plays or doing public relations for the company. The Moyers have three young sons – Kristopher, Canon, and Nolan.

The youngest member of Butch's family, Sean, sixteen years old, attends school during the year, but while on summer vacation, spends much of his time with the carnival working with food concessions.

BECOMING A LEADER IN THE INDUSTRY

Under the management of Butch Butler, the company has brought to its customers a variety of new, innovative ideas that have won wide approval, not only from patrons, but from industry leaders as well. His advice is constantly sought by ride and equipment manufacturers and he has been at the fore front in the development of innovative techniques that have steadily improved the carnival business in the United States and Canada.

Due to his prominence in the outdoor amusement industry, Butch has served on numerous legislative advisory panels studying ride safety, fair and exposition contracts, and customer relations. In 2005, Butch was inducted into the Western Fairs Association’s Hall of Fame. That same year he received Outdoor Amusement Business Association’s, Circle of Excellence award at the International Fairs and Expositions Convention, in Las Vegas.

In the early 1990's, Butler Amusements was the first carnival to design and implement a "UL" listed electrical system - a design so unique that it has been adopted throughout the amusement industry.

Butler Amusements has implanted sophisticated safety and employee training programs to ensure that visitors enjoy the safest possible experience. And they continue to strive for the title of “The Cleanest Show in the West”, dispatching an army of workers all day, every day to keep the midway clean and clear of clutter.

Butler also works closely with Fair Managers to bring energy conservation to the midway. In 2001, Butler Amusements introduced and began implementing silent, EPA approved Gullwing generators which are used at all of their fairs. The reduction of air and noise pollution sets a new standard for the industry.

Customer convenience features include ATMs, which travel with the Fair. Butler Amusements was the first carnival in the United States to feature these ATMs throughout the midways.

Benches surrounded by beautiful planters and unusual topiaries ensure that all members of the family can enjoy their day at a Butler event.

And, in addition to these comfort touches, Butler Amusements pays close attention to the every aspect of the Show. From uniquely designed game concessions featuring aluminum framing and beautiful canvas to dazzling, breath-taking and always exciting rides, Butler Amusements continues to provide every customer with the excitement, fun, sights, sounds and even smells and tastes that have become associated with the carnival experience.