Lawson’s Ad – April 3, 1963

Courtesy westparkhistory.com

Here’s an old Lawson's ad sure to rekindle some memories. It ran in the Lorain Journal on April 3, 1963 and very simply promotes one item: cottage cheese. But it’s the charming rendering of the convenience store with its iconic milk bottle sign that packs a nostalgic punch.

At right is a photo of a store similar to that depicted in the ad, courtesy of westparkhistory.com.

When you entered a Lawson’s store, you knew it would be clean and well-stocked.

According to this Wiki page, Lawson’s originated in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The original store merely sold milk, but eventually grew into a chain of mini-supermarkets that was primarily Ohio-based.

(I posted an ad celebrating the June 1959 opening of the very first Lawson’s in Lorain here. I also posted a October 1959 ad here, a May 1962 Ice Cream ad here, a July 4th 1962 ad here, and a 1966 Dutch Loaf ad here.)

In the mid-1980s, Lawson’s stores in the U. S. were sold to Dairy Mart. Amazingly, the Lawson’s name lives on as a convenience store franchise chain in Japan.

Today, former Lawson’s stores dot the cityscape of many Ohio cities. You can find them repurposed as everything from a pizza joint to a doctor’s office.