Smith & Gerhart Christmas Layaway Ad – Nov. 19, 1949

Yesterday’s blog post was about the beautiful mansion owned by Joseph Gerhart, merchandise manager of the Smith & Gerhart department store, from the late 1930s right into the early 1950s. So, it’s a good time to post this ad promoting the store's line of toys available for layaway. Plus it might put you in the mood for Christmas, since the weather isn’t quite helping these days.

The ad ran in the Lorain Journal on November 19, 1949.

It’s an interesting selection of toys with many of them made out of metal, which makes me wonder if they were products of the Steel Stamping Company of Lorain.

After doing this blog for so long, I’ve mentioned Smith & Gerhart several times. I wrote about the store’s founding here, profiled the men behind the Smith & Gerhart names here, and posted the obituary of Mr. Gerhart here.

I also posted a more ‘adult’ Christmas ad for Smith & Gerhart from 1950 here.