Regional Ads – January 1953

Lorain's relative proximity to many large Ohio cities resulted in a variety of regional advertisements appearing in the Lorain Journal in the 1950s and 60s. Brands such as Old Dutch Beer (out of Findlay), Carling's Black Label (out of Cleveland), Frankie's the Keener Wiener (out of Massillon) are good examples.

And here are a couple ads from the Lorain Journal in January 1953 with a regional connection. The first one is an ad for the Reidy Scanlan Company located on Broadway at 21st Street, featuring a White Dove Mattress Sale. The racy ad – with its well-rested, nightgown-clad model – ran on January 26, 1953.

White Dove was – and still is – located in Cleveland. Its website notes that it recently celebrated its 100th year in business, and that it was one of the first companies to introduce a one-sided mattress. (I like my one-sided mattress, because I could never remember to flip the other kind.)

That $39.75 has the same buying power as about $443 in today's inflated greenbacks.

And here's another ad with a regional flair. It ran on January 29, 1953 and promotes Grand Duchess Steaks. 

The comic strip style of the ad is somewhat unusual, as well as the rendering of the Grand Duchess as a princess type instead of a dowager.

Grand Duchess Steaks was located in Akron, Ohio.

So what's the story of these steaks? Here's a great article courtesy of the Canton Repository.

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Grand Duchess Steaks were frozen in the '50s

'No Fat, No Bone -- All Beef!'

Gary Brown 
Repository editor at-large

"Fix 'em fast ... serve 'em proudly!"

The 1951 advertisement for Grand Duchess "Fresh Frozen" Steaks — beef at its frozen best — showed a hostess serving four steak sandwiches to guests at what quite obviously was a dinner party. Except words on the box in which Grand Duchess Steaks were packaged noted that there were five "Tender Tasty Steaks" — "Big Thick Steaks" — inside the container. Risk of a dinner table fight over the fifth steak was a reality. Frozen foods still were in their infancy early in the 1950s, and consumers may not have known how to handle a demand for hastily prepared second helpings. And that last steak — a single serving — no doubt was still in the kitchen, waiting to be thawed out and cooked for possibly multiple still-hungry people.

"It takes just 3 minutes to cook Grand Duchess Steaks — the really tender, jucier, tastier steaks," the ad in The Canton Repository said. "Serve them often — and always with pride — for Grand Duchess cost no more than ordinary brands, yet pay your guests a subtle compliment because they're the best you can buy!"

There was a reason for that claim at the bottom of the ad.

"No Fat, No Bone — All Beef!"

They Were New

The steaks apparently were introduced the prior year, according to an advertisement in The Canton Repository.

"New Fast Frozen Steaks" said an ad in the Independent for Grand Duchess Steaks published on Jan. 26, 1950. "Out of This World New Flavor."

The advertisement was accompanied by a story publicizing the product — an "advertorial" such stories now are called — that paid tribute to the frozen steaks in bold lettering across the top of the page. 

"NEW TENDER STEAK IS RAVE HIT!" said the headline over the story, which also carried a headline noting that the local Superior Provisions company was named distributor locally of the Grand Duchess Steaks.

The ad, which also was published on the same day in The Independent of Massillon, called Grand Duchess Steaks "a sensational new packaged steak, rivaling the finest cuts of sirloin or porterhouse in flavor," and it quoted A. Genshaft, manager of Superior Provision.

"The latest triumph of the science of fast-freezing, Grand Duchess Steaks are ready to eat three minutes after they are removed from the freezing compartment of your refrigerator, Genshaft said. "And because these steaks are so full of natural juices, no shortening is required. The steaks are simply placed in their frozen condition in a hot skillet and cooked for a minute and a half on each side."

The steaks had been introduced in the Akron market to the enthusiasm of "homemakers and eating places," said the ad.

"Ever since we first heard that a fast-frozen steak had been developed that compared favorably with the better cuts of sirloin and yet was budget-priced, we have felt that Canton home makers would welcome it just as Akron women have," said Genshaft. "We have watched the progress of the steaks in Akron markets and have talked to meat dealers there. Every dealer reports unusually good repeat sales and many say they could sell even more if they had more capacity for fast-frozen foods."

Coming to Canton

The advertisement as it was published in 1950 included a note from Superior to "Mr. Retailer." 

"Get ready for the BIG DEMAND," said the ad. "If you don't already stock this new steak sensation in your frozen food department, phone your order to us first thing tomorrow!"

In an advertisement on the next page in the newspaper, Superior presented Grand Duchess Steaks to the Greater Canton area. It listed stores in which the steaks were available in Canton — 18 stores in the southeast section, 33 in the northeast, 43 in the northwest and 56 in the southwest. Consumers could buy Grand Duchess Steaks in five groceries in North Canton and in 22 locations in other Stark County communities.

"For more than 25 years Canton area residents have looked upon the Superior label as representing the finest quality in meats and meat products," Superior said. "You can place that same trust, that same confidence in Grand Duchess Steaks ... a product which more than fulfills our rigid standards for purity, quality, freshness and value!

"If your dealer cannot supply you with these new, tasty, tender steaks — ask him to phone ... The Superior Provision Co."

Then it listed the number to dial. It was 5-5327. Five numbers instead of 10. This was a different era in history. If the promotion of "new" frozen foods didn't tip you off, short phone numbers would be a pretty good clue.

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