O'Neil's Anniversary Sale Ads – October 2 & 3, 1963

It's odd, and a little sad, to drive by the Centre of Sheffield shopping center on North Ridge and remember when it was a truly groundbreaking retail center. I shop at the Marc's there, and ponder that thought every time I see the nearby cluster of surviving buildings that make up what's left of the original property layout.

When the O'Neil - Sheffield Center opened back in May 1954, it consisted of 49 separate shopping units, with the O'Neil's department store as the anchor. It was one of the largest in Ohio at that time. The shopping center was covered by an all-season canopy, and it surrounded a grassy courtyard that hosted concerts and well-remembered holiday events (like the annual Talking Christmas Tree). 

It sure was convenient to have O'Neil's so close when I was a kid. It was minutes away. a short drive down Oberlin Avenue and what was then Route 254. We did a lot of shopping there over the years, especially at Christmastime.

Of course, the shopping center's popularity and convenience dealt the initial death blow to Downtown Lorain's shopping district. And it would similarly begin its own downward spiral with the opening of Midway Mall in September 1966.

But back in October 1963, the O'Neil - Sheffield Center was still thriving, and celebrating O'Neil's 86th Anniversary. That's the theme of the two ads below, which ran in the Journal on October 2 and 3, 1963, respectively.

But it all changed in April 1967, when May Company replaced O'Neil's at the shopping center (which I wrote about here). It was the end of an era, with a change of name and signage to drive home the point. Later, the May Company would open a brand new store at Midway Mall in its new south wing.

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I've devoted many posts to the O'Neil - Sheffield Center, including this one about an appearance by the 3 Suns and the Four Aces during the Grand Opening celebration.