• Pleasing the most critical woman in Troy

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    Carl Johnson

    Couldn’t let Almon Millard (“the man who sells low shoes now”) go without another ad from 1909, this time for his $3.00 “Derby” low shoes, which Mr. Millard was sure could please the most critical woman in Troy. Lest you think Millard only catered to women, consider this copy from another Millard advertisement: “Bless…

  • Perfect $2.00 Shoemaking – in accord with new ideas!

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    Carl Johnson

    In 1909, Millard of Broadway in Troy boasted of perfect $2.00 shoemaking: “My $2.00 ‘Helen’ Shoes for women are perfection in $2.00 shoemaking. The new styles in both ‘Helen’ boots and oxfords now on my shelves are as near to the most stylish $3.50 shoe models as ingenuity and skill can make them. The…

  • Make your own Ivanhoe Mayonnaise

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    Carl Johnson

    In 1934, Ivanhoe Mayonnaise did something I don’t think I’ve ever seen another product do: it published its recipe, “in case you’d like to make it yourself.” The recipe is straightforward enough, though the makers warn that “if you haven’t an electric mixer it will require three-quarters of an hour of hard work.” Then…

  • WGY Food Stores ad

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    Carl Johnson

    In case you wondered whether the WGY Food Stores made use of their connection to radio, here’s how their ads looked in 1931. Lower down in the ad (not visible here) is the promise that “Housewives everywhere are enjoying the radio program over WGY by Mrs. Rankin, Home Economist of WGY Food Products Company,…

  • WGY Refrigeration Co.

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    Carl Johnson

    So, we found out there were WGY Food Stores, and as far as we can tell, those had some sort of association with the AM radio station. Well, then, what about WGY Refrigeration Co. of Scotia? In 1946, it was selling radios (which makes sense) and various other electrical appliances from a venerable location…

  • WGY Food Stores

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    Carl Johnson

    It seems incredible that there was once a very large chain of grocery stores named for one of the first radio stations in the country, and even more incredible that no one seems to remember it. But it’s true. In 1930, approximately 130 independently owned grocery stores in “virtually all cities and villages within…

  • Lathrop’s Drug Stores

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    Carl Johnson

    Well, let’s continue this bit of old home week, started last week, with this 1946 ad from Lathrop’s Drugs. Lathrop’s was a Rexall affiliated drug store with two locations in Scotia. By the time I remember them, the early ’70s, neither one had the soda fountain that is advertised here, and I never had…

  • J.W. Randall Boats

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    Carl Johnson

    So I’m browsing through an old newspaper from 1945 and I see an ad for a business from my hometown that I’ve never heard of. Admittedly, it was before my time, but it did make me curious. I hadn’t heard of J.W. Randall’s boat shop, and I wondered where it had been. And when…

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