Just in time for the start of the holiday season, the
Lorain Journal included a special supplement with its November 26, 1953 edition. Entitled, "Gift Ideas for a Jolly Christmas," the 80-page catalog provided
Journal readers with a dazzling array of suggestions of what to buy – as well as providing us with a nice snapshot of Lorain businesses at that time.
Here's an ample sample of some of the catalog pages, which paint a picture of a prosperous Lorain in its 1950s post-war heyday.
I love the fact that many of the companies used illustrations to depict their gift items in the ads. It adds an element of intrigue. It's also impressive how so many of the businesses had a distinctive logo and 'brand,' such as Ted Jacobs and Louis Cohn.
I made sure that Delis Brothers Furniture was represented in the ad round-up. That's because I recently had the pleasure of exchanging emails with a member of the Delis family, whose great-grandfather Christ Delis founded the store. I mentioned to her that my parents bought their dining room set from Delis Furniture, and it was the one that was used from the 1950s all the way to the 2020's.
