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| The shelves at Discount Drug Mart in Vermilion has already experienced a run on Schwebel buns |
As noted on the WEWS Channel 5 website, the firm "will begin winding down operations and expects to initiate a liquidation of its business."
"The closure will include bakeries in Youngstown and Hebron, as well as retail stores and distribution centers across Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York."
"In a press release, the Youngstown company cited "operational and financial constraints," adding, "These challenges include aging manufacturing facilities and equipment, costly labor contracts and pension obligations, and consumer trends depressing demand for traditional bakery and bread products."
Lorain Countians will no doubt miss the various Schwebel products, which have been a staple in our bread drawers for decades.
I don't eat a lot of sandwiches these days, so I hardly ever buy a loaf of bread. But when it came to hot dog or hamburger buns, I always looked for the clown on the label before I bought.
By the way, his name is Happy. The Cleveland Historical website notes, "Dora Schwebel created Happy the Clown in 1932 to serve as a positive, uplifting symbol during the Great Depression. His familiar face has graced the company's labels ever since.
Before clowns became a symbol of pure evil thanks to Stephen King and his novel It, they were seen as lovable, childlike friends to kids everywhere. Happy apparently was very popular in his day, since there are so many items emblazoned with his friendly visage, including signs, cups, a tote bag, apparel and even a bobblehead.
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| Courtesy ClevelandHistorical.org |
I just hope he doesn't end up in the bread line.
Here's hoping the genial clown has a happy retirement.
The popular image of the Joker from Batman probably didn't help the idea of clowns as funny.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dan for putting their jingle in my head. I’m sure I’ll be singing it all day. Todd
ReplyDeleteI have a peanut butter sammich at least every other day - have since I was about 5 years old - and these last few decades it's been on Schwebel's bread. Not sure what I'm going to do when they close.
ReplyDeleteAnd... I've known a couple different clowns (professional, not generic). While not >pure< evil, both were closer than I was.
My son works for Klosterman in Springfield and says the impact is industry wide. They actually make some of Schwebel's buns (and McDonalds).
ReplyDeleteOut here in the east we have an unfortunately named bakery product ”BIMBO” bread. So there’s that.
ReplyDeleteL-B-M: Um... do they have a mascot, one wonders?
DeleteWe have Bimbo Bread here in Texas; it's not too bad.
DeleteYes, Don. The Bimbo Bread mascot is a marshmallow white bear cub with a puffy chef’s toque that resembles the
DeletePillsbury Doughboy. Sorry to disappoint.
I don't buy the "high labor" contracts one bit.Those line workers aren't millionaires.Plus assembly line type work is monotonous.Let the owners work on the line 12 hours a day 5 days a week.They might get a 50 cent raise this contract then have to give something up elsewhere to offset the 50 pennys.So the workers didn't really gain anything and the company didn't lose anything.It was all a wash in the companies favor.
ReplyDeleteAnd before some of you "society types" rattle off a smart remark I know about labor contracts as I worked at Ford for over 30 years and those people would nickel and dime their own mother to make her give something up.And then laugh at her afterwards.It's all about corporate greed.
Yet people like the Elon Musks of the world don't have enough money and won't be happy until they have it all and everyone else has nothing.Just like these Schwebel's workers.