Back to School Ads – 1966

Although school has been in session for many school systems for several weeks now, many of my readers remember fondly when school did not start until the first week of September. It made for a nice, clean transition from August to September.

And with school starting later back then, the back-to-school ads didn't begin to appear until the end of August. Many (if not most) of them seemed to focus on school clothes, specifically shoes. 

We never wore our 'gym shoes' to school when we were little – it would have been unthinkable. (Remember bringing them to school in a gym bag along with a towel and gym shorts?) Nope, we wore shoes that had to be polished and tied. I don't remember a lot of slip-ons.

Anyway, here's a not-too-ample sample of ads from 1966 with a back to school theme. This first ad for Gray Drug Stores has a neat transistor radio giveaway.

Aug. 31, 1966

Amazingly, some of those radios have survived. You can see one on the radio museum website. Here are a few poached pictures courtesy of that website.

Hills usually had some great clip art in their ads, but the illustration in this one is a little odd. I'm not sure what you would call the young boy's hairdo. Maybe he was a Cesar Romero fan.

Sept. 1, 1966

And as I mentioned, there were tons of shoe ads. I like the little dog illustration in the Hageman Shoes ad.

Sept. 2, 1966

I've never heard of Lazy Bones Shoes, but apparently they were popular enough to run four color ads in magazines well into the 1970s. And the cute dog mascot was featured prominently, which is doggone nice.

1977 ad

1978 ad

Other shoe ads featured the old Brady favorites: Nobil's and Pic-Way.

Sept. 1, 1966

Sept. 1, 1966

Did You-You Have a Yo-Yo? – May 1962

Did you have a yo-yo when you were a kid?

I remember that Mom and Dad bought each of my brothers and me a Duncan yo-yo as a stocking stuffer for some mid-1960s Christmas. I remember trying to play with it but never being able to figure out how to do any sort of tricks (such as 'walk the dog'). My yo-yo was soon banished to the bottom drawer of my dresser along with other items that I had lost interest in, such as old comic books, card games, etc.

According to its Wiki entry, yo-yos date back to the Ancient Greeks. They made it to the United States in the early 1920s.

Thanks to television marketing, yo-yos enjoyed a burst of popularity in the early 1960s, reflected below in the Hills ad that ran in the Journal on May 26, 1962.

Hills went all out with this contest. The prizes alone are unreal. And note that George Somera, yo-yo champion and demonstrator, was appearing as part of the promotion. Very cool.

We have a fella at work who is into yo-yos. But I don't think I'm going to be looking for my old yo-yo on eBay anytime soon.

Did you ever play with a yo-yo – as a kid or adult? If so, be sure to leave a comment!

Hills Ads – November 1965

Nov. 4, 1965

The ads for the well-remembered and beloved (by local Baby Boomers) Hills Dept. Store never really developed a specific design look. As long as the oval Hills logo appeared in an ad, apparently that was enough for it to conform to the corporate brand.

An ample sample of Hills ads from November 1965 follows that marketing strategy, with a variety of illustrations in the ads, including renderings of people, line art of products and cartoony holiday clip art. 

The attire of formally dressed shoppers depicted in the ad at the top of this post is surprising, seeing as we were halfway through the 1960s at this point. Although President John F. Kennedy (assassinated two years earlier) changed mens' styles forever with his shunning of headgear, the man in the ad is still wearing a fedora. Likewise, the woman shopper in the foreground wears a Jackie-inspired pill box hat. Within a few years, things would be getting groovy style-wise and this look would be abandoned.

The Hills ad from November 10, 1965 is interesting because it features popular long-playing records.

The list includes: Boots Randolph, Living Strings, Eddy Arnold, Roger Miller, Jim Reeves and Skeeter Davis. 

It reminds me that my parents had a stereo (a full-size piece of furniture) in our formal living room that was closed off from the rest of the house. We hardly ever used the living room, except at Christmas or when we had visitors (which was not too often). We kids weren't allowed to touch the stereo, either. I do remember Mom playing it sometimes during the day while she cleaned. The 1960s Brady playlist: Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Jules Wechter and the Baja Marimba Band, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, and The Sound of Music soundtrack. Sometimes a few of my sister's Beatle albums made the playlist.

A favorite record of my parents at Christmas time was Something Festive, which is not too surprising since it had the A&M Records stars like Herb Albert, and the Baja Marimba Band on it.

Anyway, let's head for the Hills and get back to the ads.

The November 11, 1965 ad launches the first volley of the Christmas season with an ad devoted mostly to toys. Hills always did have a great toy department. 

And the November 18, 1965 ad takes aim at adults, reminding them that Hills carried artificial trees and everything you need to trim it.

The 'Thanksgiving' ad for Hills ran on November 19, 1965 and featured some holiday clip art at the top. The ad itself was devoted to things that might be of aid to a hostess (like a can opener or waffle-grill) or merely a gift suggestion (like a GE portable tape recorder).

After Thanksgiving, of course, it was time for Santa to make an appearance at the store. The November 24, 1965 ad featured some great art of Santa arriving by a helicopter (which was piloted by a diminutive look-alike 'helper.'

In view of my own happy memories of my family shopping at Hills (such as being turned loose in the toy dept., or the possibility of Mom buying us a Frozen Coke® or popcorn), I kind of feel sorry for today's kids. With online shopping preferred over brick and mortar stores, I'm skeptical that kids will be able to look back and conjure up happy memories of their shopping experience.

But then again, every generation prefers their own era and experiences, and think theirs are the best.

Nickel Hot Dogs at Hills – Labor Day 1965

I don't know if it had the same disastrous result as the infamous 10-Cent Beer Night at Cleveland Stadium, but 5-Cent Hot Dogs at Hills on Labor Day 1965 was probably a pretty popular promotion. Families were going to be out shopping, getting ready for school anyway. I'll have to check the Journal from the next day to see if the riot squad had to be called in.

The ad above ran in the Journal on Labor Day, September 6, 1965.

I like the look of unbridled glee on the kid about to devour his hot dog.

Hot dogs are a funny thing. Everybody seems to have their own preference as to how they prepare them. Mom always boiled them. As for me, if I can't grill them, then I fry them up in a pan.

Then there's the various ways to consume them. I'll have Stadium Mustard if you don't mind. But never (yecch) catsup (or ketchup if you prefer).

When I worked in Downtown Cleveland, it wasn't hard to find a guy selling them out of his cart right on the sidewalk. I don't remember ever getting sick from eating one.

And when the company I was working for moved to the near West Side, I would go up to Lorain Road sometimes during lunch and get a few coney dogs from Steve's Lunch. The hotdogs were grilled on a rotating griddle that was pretty much right in the window. They were fantastic. 

It was sad when Steve's Lunch suffered a fire in 2015 – that was the end of it.

Some Clevelanders love the Hot Dog Inn, which was further east down Lorain Road, close to Fulton. I might have tried it once, but I preferred Steve's because it was so close to where I worked.

These days, rather than buy a pack of hot dogs, cook them all, and then eat them until they're gone, I restrict my consumption of them to eating coney dogs at Dog N Suds (which just closed for the season on Sunday). 

Enjoying one hotdog a week (which is about how often I ate at Dog N Suds this summer) is better than eating eight in a week, considering how they are supposed to cost you some of your lifespan. 

With my luck it'll turn out that they're worse for you than cigarettes.

Hills Dept. Store Mother's Day Ad – May 1965

We'll wrap up Mother's Day Week here on the blog with this ad for the well-remembered Hills Dept. Store that ran in the Journal on May 6, 1965. As to be expected due to the era, the family depicted in the ad are formally dressed for a visit to the store. But the times were a-changing, and by the end of the 1960s I don't think you would see an illustration quite like that.

The ad mentions several possible gifts for Mom, including "dainty lingerie, a duster [!], a lovely new appliance, a box of candy, an attractive new piece of jewelry, of one of hundreds of ideas you'll see at Hills."

I don't think local Baby Boomers (myself included) will ever stop reminiscing about Hills. Thanks to its family-friendly pricing and great selection, it was exactly the right fit for our family when my siblings and I were very young. Mom sure bought a lot of winter coats there for us.

Plus it was fun to go there. The toy department was huge, and in those days Mom could turn us loose there to look around by ourselves, knowing that we would be safe. And of course, the nicest memory was the possibility of a treat (popcorn, a frozen Coke, etc.) when we were done shopping.

By the end of the 1960s, however, we were buying much of our clothes at Sears and we weren't playing with toys as much. So we more or less graduated to Midway Mall.

Today, Hills has been gone so long that several generations have no memory of it at all. But memories of Hills will always conjure up simpler, happier times for many of us.

Hills Christmas Ads – 1964

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!

Nov. 14, 1964

Nov. 19, 1964

Nov. 26, 1964

Dec. 14, 1964

Dec. 21, 1964

Dec. 23, 1964

Grand Opening of Hills in Lorain – August 18, 1960

The Hills Dept. Store in South Lorain closed back on July 31, 1982, replaced by a new store in Amherst. 

But when exactly did the Lorain store first open? I had never really covered it on this blog. So I hit the Journal's online archives to find out.

As it turned out, the Grand Opening was on August 18, 1960. There was quite a big build up in the Journal, as it really was a new kind of store. Here's some of the paper's coverage. Note that there are a few photos of the store. I had forgotten about those two large arrows with the blinking lights that seemed to memorize me as a kid.

August 15, 1960

August 17, 1960

August 17, 1960

August 18, 1960

August 18, 1960

August 18, 1960

August 18, 1960

August 18, 1960

August 23, 1960

Hills had a new concept for its time – a standalone department store. It was different from a downtown store or one occupying a space at a shopping center along with competitors. So it's not surprising that hundreds of Lorain area shoppers were in line for a half hour before the ribbon cutting took place.

It was kind of sad when the store closed in 1982. I had only come home from college about six months earlier, and it seemed like Lorain was falling apart, with Downtown stores closing and the steel mill laying off thousands. It was a depressing time indeed.

A 2011 view of the former Hills store on Route 57

A 2022 view

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UPDATE

The Amherst Hills store opened the week of November 5, 1981. So it was open for about 8 months before the store in South Lorain closed.

Ad from the Journal of November 5, 1981

And Ames Department Stores, Inc. purchased the Hills chain in mid-November 1998. Ames itself went out of business in 2002, although there are plans for a comeback in 2026.

Hills Mother's Day Ad – 1964

Here's wishing all mothers out there a Happy Mother's Day!

Above is an ad with that theme for the late, great Hills Dept. Store, located on Route 57 in South Lorain, that ran in the Journal back on April 30, 1964. It's a cute ad, with the three generations of mothers depicted. They're fairly stereotypical (the middle-aged mom is greying, the senior citizen mom has completely white hair). I wonder what a similar ad circa 2024 would look like?

Anyway, Hills Dept. Store continues to trigger strong feelings of nostalgic for many local Baby Boomers. There was the interesting drive out to that part of town, whether you took E. 28th Street, E. 36th Street (with its accompanying ditch) or Route 254; the sights across from Hills in Oakwood Park (the train, the 'other' Easter Basket, the Armory); and the Hills store itself with the blinking, chasing lights on its storefront.

Inside there was a big toy department for kids to roam in, and the possibility of Mom buying us a treat (a Frozen Coke, or popcorn) when it was time to leave.

I seem to recall that in the 1960s, we would go there on Saturday afternoon, since that was Mom's designated shopping day. Dad was insulated from these trips, since he was always busy with the lawn or taking care of the cars. Mom would shuttle us all over the place, including to Downtown Lorain, the Nickles Bakery outlet store, Deluca Bakery, etc.

It's funny that I never really liked being dragged along shopping all that much as a kid, but now I look back at it all with fondness.

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Years after Dad died, when Mom started to slow down a lot, it was my turn to shuttle Mom around town on Saturday afternoon. After lunch (often at Chris' Restaurant, where she would say hi to her favorite waitress), we would go to Dollar General, where she would enjoy chit-chatting with the manager; sometimes, we'd stop at Big Lots, sometimes at Kmart, her favorite store. Our trip always ended with her weekly grocery shopping at Apples on Meister Road, where she would visit with her friend who worked behind the lunchmeat counter. It was cute and nice to see that Mom still had a social life in her 80s and into her 90s.

I treasure the memories of those Saturdays spent with her.

Hills Dads, Grads & Brides Ad – June 6, 1963

June is the month symbolizing many things: graduations, Father's Day celebrations and, of course, the June bride. 

And Hills Dept. store managed to get all of them into this ad that ran on June 6, 1963.  

I really like the use of illustration in this ad, as well as the loose style that the artist used to render them in. Unfortunately, the ad would be seen as hopelessly old-fashioned today since no specific items for sale are depicted. But it creates a nice mood reinforced by the uncluttered layout.

Hills seemed to have difficulty deciding on a consistent look for its advertising. A 1962 Father's Day ad used a cartoony style, but series of ads in a ad campaign later that year exclusively employed photographs. 

But in the end, it was the store's selection, discount prices, layaway plan and location that guaranteed its success for many years. Much like Super K on Leavitt Road many years later, it was exactly the right store for this area. Mom bought a lot of clothes and toys there for many years.

And for us kids, sometimes it meant (hopefully) a frozen Coke or box of popcorn as a treat when we were done shopping. And maybe a glimpse of the steam engine or Easter Basket in Oakwood Park.

Santa Lands at Hills – Nov. 22, 1962

For many years, the traditional arrival of Santa Claus in Lorain was on the Friday after Thanksgiving, officially kicking off the Christmas shopping season.

I've posted many such ads over the years: for O'Neil-Sheffield Shopping Center (1959, 1963, 1968), Downtown Lorain (1946, 1960, 1968), Oakwood Shopping Center (1958); and a Saturday arrival at Hills (1963).

That's why it was surprising to see that in 1962, Santa was scheduled to arrive at Hills right on Thanksgiving, according to the ad below which appeared in the Journal on Wednesday, November 21st.

The Thanksgiving arrival is somewhat downplayed in the ad, which notes that that the store would be open on that day "for family convenience." At least Santa's arrival was scheduled at 9:45 am, so as not to disrupt the family get-togethers that would be centered around dinner.

This ad ran in the paper on Thanksgiving, reminding shoppers that Santa was arriving that morning.

At our house, Thanksgiving morning would mean that we'd be watching the Macy's parade on TV, suffering through an endless procession of so-so marching bands and dancers, just to get a glimpse of the "real" Santa Claus, bringing up the rear.

Hills Ads – August/Sept 1962

The long-gone Hills department store out in South Lorain turns up repeatedly on this blog. 

Why? Because just thinking of the store conjures up a lot of pleasant memories: of the blinking lights chasing each other on the exterior signage of the store; of those low-slung white tables (low enough for a small kid to look into) with stuff piled in the various compartments; of freshly popped popcorn and frozen Cokes near the exit; of the Hills layaway plan that bought Mom and Dad a little time to save up to pay for the winter coats or toys or whatever.

It was also interesting for a kid living on the west side of Lorain to go to Hills. South Lorain was an exotic place, with the steel mill, Oakwood Park (with the train and the 'other' Easter Basket) and the Ohio National Guard armory. 

Anyway, below is a selection of large 3/4 page Hills ads that ran in the Journal in August and September 1962. The ads feature custom photography and are definitely of their own time. (Note the father wearing a suit & tie and fedora.)

Will the kids of today have nostalgic pangs someday of going to Target or Walmart when they were young? I kind of doubt it. 

With more and more of our shopping taking place online, the kids of today will probably have fond memories of the excitement of opening a package that was delivered by Amazon.