This page, which ran in the Journal on Feb. 5, 1973, contains several old favorites, businesses that many of us remember: Januzzi's; Cliff Nolan's Genie Door (not yet at his familiar location by City Hall); Tudy's; Pecora and Son Sunoco on East Erie; and Brotherton Disposal (with their clever "Our Business is Picking Up" slogan; and Bobel's Business Products (their daughter Jane was in my design classes at Ohio State, and still runs a thriving design company today).
Of course, one of my favorite restaurants – The Pit – is on the page as well, one of the few surviving businesses fifty years later.
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A variety of reasons conspire to make traditional, small family businesses less likely to exist today. Competition is fierce, and the reluctance of family members to keeping longtime companies going isn't surprising, when you consider you can buy just about anything online today. Convenience is the key today, and fewer people seem to want to drive anywhere to make a purchase – even when it comes to shoes.
