Crazy Days in Downtown Lorain – August 1964

A few years ago I remember seeing a vintage postcard of Downtown Lorain from the late 1950s or 60s on which the sender had written that a “crazy sale” was currently taking place. I wondered at that time was a “crazy sale” entailed.

I thought of that postcard when I saw the half-page ad above, which appeared on page 2 of the Lorain Journal on Thursday, August 6, 1964. As you can see, the ‘crazy’ aspect was mainly in the low prices (referred to in the ads as ‘rummage sale’ prices).

The list of participating merchants includes many stores still familiar to Lorain residents.

What’s interesting to me about the ad is the liberal use of advertising clip art, especially the fellow with Beatle-like hair. The ad designer made sure that the eye caught the eye of Journal readers.

Anyway, on the same day the ad ran, the Journal ran the parade photo and caption below on the facing page. It features a few of the store merchants dressed in wacky outfits and perched on bicycles while holding up signs promoting the sale. The cute photo features Bob Raeburn of Fisher Brothers; Gus Sepulveda of Lynns; Art Lipsin of Jax Store for Men; Ted Jacobs of Ted Jacobs Inc.; and George Stemple of Harry’s Men’s Wear.

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Here's another 'crazy sale' ad with kooky clip art from two years earlier. It ran in the Journal back on August 9, 1962.