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 |
