When I was growing up, there was always a carton of ice cream in our freezer. I don't recall what brand Mom bought regularly; it's only the flavors I remember: chocolate, vanilla or Neapolitan – nothing too exotic in the early days.
But the concept of exotic flavors is exactly what's being promoted in this ad for Bowman Ice Cream that ran in the Journal back on June 27, 1962. The three "Fantas-tic" flavors in Bowman's Fantasy ice cream line included Swiss Style Chocolate Vanilla; Swiss Style Chocolate Candied Pecan Vanilla; and Orange-Sherbet Caramel Nut Vanilla.
Yuck. I don't think all those nutty flavors would have been a big hit with my siblings and me.
What's interesting is that in the 1962 ad, there are two versions of the Bowman bowman mascot: the cartoony version at the bottom of the ad, and a more angular, "modern" rendering of him near the top of the ad by the LIFE magazine logo.
Anyway, Bowman Ice Cream continues to fascinate me, probably because of the huge painted sign promoting it on the side of Whalen Drug in the 1960s. Where else could you buy it in the area? Check out this listing of local stores that ran on the same page as the ad.
I don't remember if we bought Bowman Ice Cream when I was a kid; we generally got that yummy stuff made and sold by Lorain Creamery. I think I might have bought Bowman Ice Cream Bars from Steve's Grocery at the Loop .
ReplyDeleteThat was the Jersey Lane ice cream made at the Lorain Creamery. When my dad was able to purchase his own delivery truck he got a freezer truck so he could sell ice cream on his route. It plugged into a power outlet in the garage so the truck's freezer could run all night. The regular trucks did have a small cooler with dry ice for frozen goods. I loved playing with the dry ice when dad had some at home. They cut the large blocks of dry ice on a special band saw and it really squealed when cutting.
ReplyDeleteI was talking to my uncle recently and he said the Lorain Creamery's ice cream was a high fat premium ice cream. My favorite back then was the Fudge Ripple.
Mine was Chocolate Marshmallow.
DeleteLearned something new today - there was an Aquilla's Market at 4401 Oberlin Ave? Same Aquilla's as the one near Lorain High at 6th and Washington?
ReplyDeleteI knew that building as Desiree hair salon as far back as I can remember (mid 1970's my mom went there for her hair)