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Coke-in-MN 
Orange Level Access
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Afton MN
Points: 42230
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 Topic: Shopping in the 50's
Posted: 19 Feb 2026 at 12:18am |
When the butcher knew you , the early super markets , hours they were open , Friday night or Saturday trips depending if farm or city stores I worked for National Tea Co while in High School started at 15 doing carry out and stocking shelves . The days of S&H green stamps as a bonus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGt8_01O8o0
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Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel.
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bikley
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Maryland
Points: 5407
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Posted: 19 Feb 2026 at 5:29am |
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Life was better back then
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
Points: 90164
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Posted: 19 Feb 2026 at 8:20am |
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every August mom would take us 4 kids to SEARS to get new cloths for the following school year... they better last all year.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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DMiller
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Hermann, Mo
Points: 35416
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Posted: 19 Feb 2026 at 5:58pm |
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Early 60s same here, would take a bus from East Alton to Page and Kingshighway in St Louis, Famous Barr, JC Pennys and Sears all in same
Block. Montgomery Ward catalog store on same block of Page. Ate at Famous Barr Diner then shop, Mom Grandma, myself and little brother. Took all day Pants hung like sails as did shirts, shoes bought 1/2 size bigger and double socks until grew in.
Funny how a memory hangs in there.
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Lars(wi)
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Permian Basin
Points: 8358
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Posted: 19 Feb 2026 at 7:24pm |
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My Dad was devout Sears & Roebuck patron, paint, tools, clothing, lawn mowers, etc., even took the family car to Sears Auto Center at times. Dads first cousin was a Sears repair/tech for many years, he was one ☝️ f there best performing techs in the Southern Wisconsin District back in the day. My wife and I, were also Sears patrons, outfitted more than one house with
Kenmore appliances, Craftsman equipment in the garage, (sigh) those were the days.
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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Ted J
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Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: La Crosse, WI
Points: 18959
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Posted: 21 Feb 2026 at 8:30pm |
Stores closed Friday at 5 and reopened on Monday morning. The whole downtown was empty except for the bars and the pool halls. The butcher gave my sister and I a half of a GOOD wiener. I LOVED the smell in there and there was sawdust on the floor. Try that today!
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"Allis-Express"
19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17
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Harvey/pa
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: York Co. Pa.
Points: 1032
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Posted: 15 hours 38 minutes ago at 11:05am |
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Sears, bought a fridge there when we married. 50 years later it is still in the pantry keeping beverages and misc items cold and l did not buy the extended warranty!...Harvey
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DMiller
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Hermann, Mo
Points: 35416
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Posted: 15 hours 8 minutes ago at 11:35am |
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I bought the Cheapest Fridge our Local Sears Appliance store had in 1999, it is in my workshop, Beer and Refreshments Fridge.
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Coke-in-MN
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Afton MN
Points: 42230
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Posted: 14 hours 37 minutes ago at 12:06pm |
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My Uncle farmed near Ellsworth WI , and seldom drove up to the Cities in MN so he had my mother pick up his winter and summer Union Suits at Wards for him ( ones with the back flap ) . Can remember the special trips out to Montgomery Wards in Midway of St Paul . Seems cotton for summer and winter blend .
Back then one had to go to MPLS on Lake St for SEARS - 2 big stores ( Wards or Sears and multi-story warehouse attached to retail - catalog sales desk separate.
Then remember when staying down at farm on summer Aunt bought new dishes from WARDS and they were shipped to Ellsworth by Railway Express and picked up at REX office in East End of Ellsworth down by creamery. Train Delivered - a time when the local stores even depended on a separate company to supply orders .
Here Farwell , Osmond , Kirk was a large hardware supplier in downtown St Paul and wholesale sales for bolts, firearms , lawn mowers and anything else a local hardware needed , just order from their catalogue .
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Life lesson: If you’re being chased by a lion, you’re on a horse, to the left of you is a giraffe and on the right is a unicorn, what do you do? You stop drinking and get off the carousel.
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
Points: 90164
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Posted: 13 hours 50 minutes ago at 12:53pm |
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We lived outside Detroit Mich in the 50s..... Before KMart and Wal Mart, mom did all the house hold goods at Kresge 5 and Dime...
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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DMiller
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Hermann, Mo
Points: 35416
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Posted: 12 hours 40 minutes ago at 2:03pm |
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Still remember the first Wally World the KMart that was built by us in St Charles MO or Wood River IL. Both rated same level as a Ben Franklin, crap stuff everywhere, junk in every aisle, 80-90% Asian made.
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