Stag Night at Ted Jacobs – Dec. 13, 1954

Are there still stag nights and stag parties? Or have those terms dropped out of popular usage?

That's what I was wondering when I saw this ad for Ted Jacobs, which ran in the Dec. 13, 1954 Lorain Journal, promoting its special "For Men Only" shopping event. It's a great idea.

According to an online dictionary, a 'stag night' or 'stag party' is any party attended by men only. But in many other countries (such as Britain or Canada) it means a celebration held for a man shortly before his wedding and attended by his male friends. And we all know those can get, well, a little raunchy.

I had to chuckle at the layout of this page. Right above the Ted Jacobs ad is one for Eldred's featuring a grinning reindeer. And a male deer is commonly known as – what else? – a stag!

The ads reminded me of a scene from a Bugs Bunny cartoon called What's Cooking' Doc? in which the wise-guy rabbit is lobbying for an Academy Award. To convince the Academy voters that he deserves one, he tosses some film canisters of "some of his best scenes" to Smokey the projectionist and tells him to "roll'em." Unfortunately, that's not what starts spooling through the projector.

Which reminds me of a funny story.

It was late in my high school days when a few of my buddies invited me to accompany them to some kind of fund-raising event/party held at some local hall. Along with a raffle, there was going to be a buffet and a cash bar. It sounded fairly innocuous when I described it to my parents.

At the actual event, I remember that it was very smoky. It was mostly older guys, drinking, talking, etc. As a high school kid, I felt fairly uncomfortable, and it all seemed like a bad episode of Happy Days, one with the inevitable humiliation in store for hapless Richie Cunningham and his pals. 

While sitting there, my buddies and I noticed a rather hard-looking, older woman walk in accompanied by some sleazy-looking guy carrying a boom box. I wondered: who were they? But they sat down at a nearby table and helped themselves to the buffet (which was mainly fried chicken), so I didn't pay any further attention to them.

That is, until later when the lights dimmed and she turned out to be a stripper. Her partner manned the portable sound system and provided music to bump and grind by.

The whole thing was kinda seedy, although nobody seemed to mind. I kept waiting for Lorain's Finest to come storming in and yell, "This is a raid!"

Shortly after her performance ended, someone set up a movie screen and we were treated to a grainy stag film. I'll leave it at that. In fact, I did leave after a few minutes, and drove home in slack-jawed shock.

It was a night best forgotten. I told my parents it was a boring party and that not much happened.

But a few days later, I was in the basement doing something, and Dad happened to be down there too. Right in the middle of some small talk, Dad matter-of-factly said, "I heard she ate a lot of chicken." 

I looked at him and said, "Who?"

Then I saw Dad break into a huge grin. "The other night. At the party."

Gulp! I swallowed hard and started to stutter some kind of reply, when Dad just started laughing. "Was she pretty?" he asked.

"No, not really," I replied. "She was kind of tired-looking."

Dad saw that I looked a little anxious, and just kind of chuckled. "Don't worry about it," he reassured me. "Just don't tell your mother."

And that was the end of it.

How did he find out? Apparently someone he worked with at BF Goodrich was there, and recognized me – and ratted me out. But Dad was a good sport, and got a kick out of ribbing me. It was the first of many little bonding moments we would share over the next few decades.

Ted Jacobs ‘Crazy Daze” Sale Ad – August 1971

Although mental illness is certainly no laughing matter, there was a time when being ‘crazy’ was considered somewhat amusing in the world of entertainment. The image of someone laughing uncontrollably while wearing a Napoleonic hat and goofy grin became a commonly accepted cartoon representation of madness.

This ‘crazy’ theme even made its way into advertising.

Remember Crazy Days Sales? Downtown Lorain seemed to have them at least once a year in the 1950s and 60s, with ‘crazy’ low prices that had to be seen to be believed.

And Lorain was still having them into the 1970s. Here’s an almost full-page Ted Jacobs ad from a Crazy Daze Journal sales supplement published on August 5, 1971.

The ad is somewhat amusing in that the ‘crazy’ angle involves poor Teddy, the Ted Jacobs parrot. As the ad copy goes, 'this sale is so wild that we had to put Teddy in a padded cage.’ 

What’s also crazy is the advertising layout, which squeezes the Holbrook & Smith ad onto the page, creating an odd arrangement. 

Anyway, here’s a saner Teddy with the boss himself.

The “New” Ted Jacobs – October 1956

Here’s a real symbol of Downtown Lorain’s heyday.

It’s a full page ad from the Lorain Journal of October 20, 1956 announcing the November 8th opening of the new Ted Jacobs store on Fourth Street.

From what I can tell (perhaps someone who shopped there can confirm this), this was a brand new store, replacing an old one at the same location. A look at vintage aerial photos from 1952 and 1962 reveals that an older building was torn down just to the west of the new store, consequently providing the “free convenient parking next door” referred to in the ad.

I wrote about Ted Jacobs a the time of his passing in 2015 (here).

Today the former store has apparently been absorbed into the Spectrum Consulting Services complex.

Ted Jacobs (1921 – 2015)

Courtesy of the Chronicle-Telegram

The Downtown Lorain Store

I would certainly be remiss if I didn't mention the passing of Ted Jacobs, Lorain's legendary women's clothing store owner on this blog. He died Sunday evening, May 31, 2015 at the age of 93.

There are several wonderful online tributes to the man on both the Morning Journal website, as well as that of the Chronicle-Telegram's (here).

Ted Jacobs opened his first store in Downtown Lorain in March 1950. An outlet at Midway Mall was added in 1966, and another branch opened at Great Northern Mall in 1976.

Over the course of four decades, his namesake specialty fashion stores were an important stop on the shopping trips of countless women.  The quality merchandise and superlative, personal customer service were the reasons for the success and amazing longevity of the Downtown Lorain store.

I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to his family.

****

Looking through the Lorain Journals from the time when that very first store opened reveals that Ted Jacobs was very creative when it came to marketing his business. Since his name was going to be on his stores, a very distinctive signature logo was developed that included the store's location.

The marketing around the opening of the flagship store was very unique. About a week before the store opened, a small teaser ad (below) appeared on multiple pages of the March 8, 1950 Lorain Journal.

A second teaser ad touting the store's upcoming opening appeared in the Journal on Monday, March 13 (below).

Then, on March 14, 1950 a large ad promoted an Open House at the new store.

Finally, on March 15, 1950 (the eve of the store's opening), a large Journal ad explained the thought and philosophy behind the new store (below). Part of the copy read, "Tomorrow's the day... your day... to see for the first time a store beautifully planned, delightfully modern designed as a background for the smartest fashions we could select in America's leading markets.

"Here is a store whose merchandise carries the hallmark of beauty, fashion and quality with common-sense price tags."

The store opened on March 16, 1950 and the first of many distinctive Ted Jacobs ads appeared in the pages of the Lorain Journal that day.

March 16, 1950 ad

Here are a few other ads from those early days.

March 19, 1950 ad

March 22, 1950 ad

****

Like I mentioned, the Ted Jacobs stores were on the list of places to shop for countless women – including my wife and my mother.

My wife remembers buying a dress at Ted Jacobs to wear at her sister's wedding. And my mother shopped there for many years, often squeezing in a visit on a Saturday morning when we were already downtown for our weekly trumpet lessons.

My mother remembers Ted Jacob's parrot well. "You'd go in there and he'd be sitting on a perch," she said. "He'd talk to you. You could hold a conversation with him."

Courtesy Morning Journal

A "Little Rascal" Visits Lorain – 1955

Back in the 50s, fall fashion revues seemed to be the rage in Lorain. Women's clothing stores and department stores held their own event in which the latest in seasonal fashions were modeled and displayed.

Ted Jacobs, Smith and Gerhart, and The Style Center all held revues the same week in mid-August, 1955. With all of the different stores fighting for a woman's attention, each one tried to make sure their revue stood out from the rest.

Ted Jacob's Style Revue for 1955 was very ambitious and creative and was a benefit for children with special needs. The revue featured the current Miss Ohio, as well as a TV and movie celebrity – Farina, from the Our Gang comedies – according to the article below which appeared on the "News For Women" page of the Lorain Journal on Monday, August 15, 1955. But as we shall see in my comments below the article, all was not as it seemed.

Here's the article, written by Luella "Lou" Kepler.

****

Our Gang's Farina Will Appear At High School Stadium Fashion Review
By LuELLA KEPLER

One of Hollywood's outstanding personalities, beloved Farina, will be one of the main attractions at the Ted Jacob's Style Review to be staged at the Lorain high school stadium, Thursday, 8 p.m.

Farina, whose real name is Eugene Jackson, will appear in the Jackson Trio, with his younger brother, Freddie, drummer, and Stan Hunter, pianist.

NOT CONTENT with blowing real "gone" notes on his saxophone he adds to the enjoyment of his audience by performing intricate tap dances while playing his own accompaniment. The Trio will play, dance and sing at the show to be staged for the benefit of retarded children.

Two of the featured numbers will be Me and My Shadow, performed by the Jackson brothers, and the favorite swing tune, I Got Rhythm. The group has toured Honolulu and Alaska in addition to appearing in cities all over the United States. They have recently appeared in the film Artists and Models with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, which will be released next month. The trio was organized in 1945 when Farina retired from serving in the armed forces. It is currently appearing at Ben Hart's Show Bar.

Farina makes his home in Los Angeles. He is married and the father of three children, a boy and two girls.

THE JACKSON TRIO – The ex-member of the Our Gang
comedy, Farina, will appear as Eugene (Farina) Jackson
with his trio at the style review for the benefit of retarded
children, Thursday, 8 p.m. at the Lorain high school
stadium. Farina is shown playing his sax. Stan Hunter is
the pianist and Farina's brother Freddie is drummer.

Since the Our Gang comedies have played on TV, Farina has etched his way into the hearts of the children, who enjoy his acting in movies in his early film career. His appearance at the style show should swell the attendance.

MODELING THE LATEST in fall fashions and the correct attire for the problem figure will be Misses Ginger Mitroff, Dorothy Urban, Beverly Bogdan, Dolores Lohrer, Louise Wynne, Mrs. Eula Owens, Mrs. Ella Zieba, Mrs. Jeanne Ciarrone, Mrs. Betty Trebilcock, Mrs. Vince Nagy, Mrs. Alice Flowers and Mrs. Irene Donath.

Clubs entered in the ticket selling competition are Echos, Genies, Hy Notes, Jr. Dots, Jr. Gems, Kaysers, Hy Notes Y Hi Jackets and Y Hi Sweaters.

THE ADVANCE TICKET sale has been tremendous. With Bill Gordon emceeing the show; Miss Ohio, 1955 making her initial Lorain appearance; Jackson Trio and its novelty musical acts plus another vaudeville attraction; added to the array of beautiful models clad in the coming season's most outstanding clothes; a full night of enjoyment is in store for ticket holders and the stadium should be packed.

There is an added attraction of $500 in merchandise to be awarded.

****

So what was I hinting at earlier when I said all was not as it seemed?

The real Farina

Quite simply, Eugene Jackson did not play Farina in the Our Gang comedies. He played Farina's older brother in a few of the mid-1920s silent episodes, and was nicknamed Pineapple because of his haircut's similarity to the shape of that particular tropical fruit.

Farina was actually played by Allen Hoskins (at right). He joined the comedies (originally known as Our Gang) in 1922 and remained with the series until he became too old and was eased out in 1931. He did come back to the series for a cameo in 1933.

Fans of the Little Rascals might remember Farina as being one of the four boys (along with Jackie Cooper, Chubby and Buddy) who conspired to get out of Miss Crabtree's class in the episode Teacher's Pet, only to discover that ice cream and cake were being served to the students that day!

Anyway, it's unclear how the misunderstanding took place regarding Jackson's billing as Farina in Lorain.

Nevertheless, Eugene Jackson did enjoy a nice Hollywood career and happy life, beating the odds when it comes to being a child performer. He appeared in a variety of movies and TV series (such as Julia and Sanford and Son) all the way into the 1990s.

He published his autobiography a few years before he passed away in 2001. Here's a link to his obituary in the LA Times.

Next: Another Lorain store with its own Little Rascal-themed fashion revue – that same week!

Ted Jacobs Christmas Ad 1950

Here's another 1950 Christmas-themed newspaper ad. It's a handsome ad for the much-remembered Ted Jacobs store that ran in The Lorain Journal on Saturday, December 23, 1950.

It has a particularly heartfelt sentiment (click on it so you can read it), reminding us that the local businesses – and the people who owned and ran them – were really the heart of Lorain in days gone by. It is the memory of those stores and businesses that we frequented for decades that seems to stir some of the strongest sentimental feelings among people who grew up in the area.

Merely mention Ted Jacobs, Smith and Gerhart, Kline's, etc. to a group of older Lorainites and you discover that everyone has a pleasant personal memory of shopping at those Downtown establishments, as well as of the people who worked there for years.

Here's hoping that the present local businessmen continue to enjoy success and loyalty from the community, and that a new generation will rise out of these awful economic times to continue to carry the torch for our beloved Lorain – and create new memories as well.