Grand Opening of Sunshine Farms Restaurant – May 10, 1963

While it probably doesn't invoke the same nostalgic pangs as Lawson's, Convenient Food Mart is still well-remembered in Lorain County by those who shopped at any of their ubiquitous stores.

One of the main reasons to shop there is the fact that the chain carried milk and dairy products made by Sunshine Farms of Elyria. Remember the dairy's distinctive packages featuring a smiling sun?

And sixty years ago, Sunshine Farms opened its own restaurant at its headquarters in Elyria. In 1963, the company had a Lake Avenue address. Today, it's 123 Gateway Boulevard North.

Here's the ad that ran in the Journal on May 10, 1963.

Judging by the menu (with pancakes, sandwiches and businessmen luncheons) it sounds like it was a full-service restaurant. There was also a 'Dairy Superette' on the premises to sell ice cream cones and soft drinks.

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In business since 1911, Sunshine Farms later became a unit of ConSun Food Industries, which operated the local Conveninent Food Mart stores.

It's kind of sad what happened to Sunshine Farms. In March 2007 it was purchased by Smith Dairy of Orrville. Smith Dairy then became the dairy supplier to the Convenient Food Marts operated by ConSun, and dairy productions on Gateway Boulevard ceased. 

Here's a Google Maps view of the building today.

Today, the Convenient Food Mart chain is apparently no more in Lorain County. Its website is down, and the one or two remaining stores have been rebranded with new names that are just similar enough to the old name as to be confusing. 

Like Lawson's and Open Pantry, we can only visit the stores in our memories.