Hills Department Store has been a regular topic on this blog for years. The store out on Route 57 in South Lorain was a favorite shopping destination for Baby Boomers. Many of us have fond memories of shopping there as kids, and capping off a visit to the store with a treat such as a Frozen Coke or freshly popped popcorn.
One of the things that made the Hills chain so memorable was its strong visual identity. The Hills logo – a black oval with a script 'Hills' reversed out of it – was distinctive and modern. (A similar example from today would be the Target chain.)
Perhaps the most unique thing about Hills advertising was its use of illustrations to set a mood in its newspaper ads, rather than show a lot of sale items. The ads featured graphics that were seasonal and attention-getting, and the message was usually simple and effective.
Christmas-themed ads followed these same guidelines. Hills ran a lot of them beginning in November, almost every day in fact (which I'm sure made the Journal happy). Here's an ample sample from Christmas 1964. Enjoy!
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| Nov. 14, 1964 |
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| Nov. 19, 1964 |
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| Nov. 26, 1964 |
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| Dec. 14, 1964 |
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| Dec. 21, 1964 |
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| Dec. 23, 1964 |
1 comment:
While I'm reading this I am munching on a big warm pretzel and a ice cold Coke.Every time I drive by Hills on Cooper Foster I think of their snack bar up front in the lobby.A frozen Coke and big pretzel was always ready to be enjoyed there by any and all.I'm glad there were other people besides me who had this fetish.
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