Oh, Yala's Pizza is still there, although it's known as Fran's Pizza these days. But it's hard not to feel a little nostalgic about the businesses that are long gone: Lawson's; Sohio; Sandy's Hamburgers; Whalen Drug; DiSimone's (one of the first bars that I went to when I could legally drink); Gene's Hobby Hub; Lezber Floors; and of course, the most missed of all: Willow Hardware.
And sixty years ago today, the huge Willow Hardware ad above appeared in the Journal on May 13, 1965. It's an interesting ad, kind of fun to look at, seeing all of the various components that were cobbled together to promote the Pittsburgh Paints sale.
Pittsburgh Paints is a brand that I'm not too familiar with. In my adult life, Sherwin-Williams is the only brand we bought. Fortunately for me, I was a bad painter (even though ironically I was a graphic artist) and as a result did very little or none of the painting in the two houses we owned.
The funny thing is, being someone who watched a lot of cartoons growing up (and still watching them), the only thing I remember about Pittsburgh Paints is their mascot – a peacock, not unlike NBC's bird.
Here's a pinback with him currently on eBay.
And surprisingly, I even found a 1974 commercial with him on YouTube.
Recognize the voice? That's voice artist Paul Frees, the voice of Boris Badenov, the nemesis of Rocky and Bullwinkle.