Gel-Pak Christmas Ad – Dec. 16, 1971

Here’s a nice full-page Christmas-themed ads for one of Lorain’s iconic businesses: Gel-Pak, located at 1145 Broadway.

(I did a few posts about Gel-Pak. Back on this post, I noted that the Gel-Pak business was spread out over three different addresses in the 1970s – 1143 Broadway, 1145 Broadway and 1205 Broadway (the former Gel-Pak building).

The photo in the ad reveals a pretty nice selection of fruit and goodies in those baskets: Indian River grapefruit and navel oranges; Florida tangerines; Florida tangelos; Emperor grapes; Calmera grapes; California figs & dates; mixed nuts; Holland Hams; Assorted imported cheese from Switzerland.

It was kind of nice to be able to order and ship such baskets from a Lorain company, instead of Harry & David. I’ll bet it was cheaper too.

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I noted the Indian River grapefruit and navel oranges in the listing of fruits. I remember the annual Indian River fruit sale held by the Admiral King Marching Band, when its members temporarily became teenage fruit hucksters. I remember going door to door in our neighborhood, taking orders. We bought several boxes ourselves, which we stored in the garage.

It was a different time then, when a kid could go door to door peddling something, and believe it or not, we did get a lot of orders. It was a good idea, and at least Lorain was spared a major scurvy outbreak.

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There’s a Fractured Fairy Tale (as seen on the “Rocky & Bullwinkle” TV show) that always made me think of Gel-Pak.

In the story “Snow White Inc.” a wicked queen has her own fruit basket business – called Witchpak. To get rid of Snow White, she doesn’t just give her a poisoned apple. Instead, she decides to deliver one of her “Sleeping Death Apples” baskets to her instead!

And how does it all end? Watch the cartoon below, courtesy of YouTube!

Gelman Bldg in the News – Nov. 14, 1963

Here's an article by noted local journalist Jack LaVriha that appeared in the Lorain Journal on November 14, 1963 – 50 years ago today. It's about the impending opening of the Joseph & Feiss Co. manufacturing plant in the Gelman Building (later known as the Gel-Pak building and currently the home of Lorain County Health & Dentristy) and includes a nice history of the building's use up to that point.

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POWER FOR INDUSTRY – Ohio Edison workmen install a new pole for

a bank of three transformers to supply power to Lorain's newest industry,

Joseph & Feiss Co., clothing manufacturer, which will occupy the second

and third floors of the Gelman Building, 1201 Broadway, in background.

Feiss Co. Clothing Plant Scheduled Opening Soon
By JACK LaVRIHA

Lorain's newest industry, a branch plant of Joseph & Feiss Co. of Cleveland, manufacturers of men's and young men's clothing, will begin operations within two weeks.

A company spokesman said skilled textile workers are being hired and that the work force would be built up to 150 or possibly 200 people.

Meanwhile, considerable activity is taking place in preparation for the opening of the plant which will occupy the second and third floors of the Gelman Building, 1201 Broadway.

Sewing machines and equipment are being moved in from Cleveland every day.

Ohio Edison Co. has installed a new pole on which is being placed a bank of three transformers to supply electric power to the plant.

The building to be occupied by J&F was formerly used until 1959 by another clothing manufacturer, S. Weitz & Co. of Cleveland. It originally was built for Richman Brothers Co., another Cleveland clothing maker.

Nationally known, J&F has satellite plants similar to the one to open here in Utica, N. Y., and Harrodsburg, K.Y. Its new Utica plant is said to be one of the nation's most modern clothing factories.

Sport coats and suit jackets will be produced at the Lorain plant.

J&F receives its yard goods at the Cleveland plant where it will be cut for suit coats and sport coats before being sent to Lorain for finishing.

Then the jackets will be returned to the Cleveland plant where the trousers are made. Warehousing and distribution will be handled in Cleveland.

The firm expects to produce between 5,000 and 5,500 units a week in the Lorain plant.

Lorain was selected for the expanded operation because of the availability of skilled tailoring employees.

J&F has a two-year lease on the plant, with renewal options that could continue for 10 years.

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Wow, those were the days when a big manufacturing plant would locate in Lorain because of its skilled workforce and instantly bring a couple hundred jobs to the area.

By the way, you can still buy a Joseph & Feiss suit. The brand is currently owned and available at the Men's Wearhouse.

The Gel Pak Building

Last week, I read in the Morning Journal (and in the Chronicle Telegram as well) that the old Gel-Pak Building on Broadway will be renovated. Lorain County Health & Dentistry is going to receive $6.6 million of federal funds to fix up the old warehouse and use it as its main site to provide medical and dental care for low-income and uninsured residents of Lorain.

It's a odd choice to blow taxpayer money on in my opinion. (Sorry, this is one old building that I'm not too nostalgic about!)

The Lorain School System was planning on tearing the Gel-Pak Building down, since the new Lorain High School is going to be built right behind it. The Gel-Pak Building is also in kind of a crummy location. It's on the little chunk of 'old' Broadway, stranded up there by the railroad tracks – not very accessible.

$6.6 million seems like a lot of money to spend fixing up something that was going to be demolished anyway. I wonder what it would have cost to renovate some of these old school buildings that were torn down (or will be torn down)?