Old Ads by Tom Beardsley and Pete Zizka 5-4-2024 |
Eighty-seven years ago, a new newspaper appeared on the Willimantic
scene, published by M.E.
Costello. The Willimantic News was dedicated to promote local trade and
local civic organizations. It
contained some local news, and a number of syndicated columns,
ranging in content from Hollywood news to recipes. Costello
appealed to local people to
submit their articles to their newspaper. "If you have anything of news
interest, send it in! If you are
the author of literary gems, send
them in. If you have nursed
the desire to become a columnist, as a music, movie or literary
critic, send in your efforts for
consideration.“ The old
advertisements in the paper are a great source of social history. The
following advertisers appeared in the opening edition
of the Willimantic News, on
December 17, 1937. Jack Roan, the Armstrong Man, the
Home-Made Candy Shop, the Delmar radio dealers, Mrs. William A.
Haddad‘s store on Jackson
Street, Albert's Package store, Albert Milevitz‘s
men and boy's shop, Larry and
his Mad Hatters band, John
Roy and Sons automobiles,
Mazzola’s Market, Shaheen
Haddad’s clothing store, Joseph Hersant, Sunnyside
Dairy and McCarthy United
Cigar Store. A closer look at some of these ads provides an intriguing
view of the 1930s culture. Mrs. William A, Haddad, whose business was
founded in 1907, paid for a half-page spread to advertise her clothing
store at 36 Jackson Street. All
purchases would be "all
done up in holiday wrappings saving you time and expense."
Men could buy fur lined chamois gloves for $1.95 and silk
robes for $3.50. Women's flannel nightgowns cost anything
from 69 cents to $1.19, and
frocks were only $1.50. Girl’s
woolen mittens were 50 cents, and plaid dresses cost $1.95.
For the home, Bates Rayon
Spreads were $1.79 and oriental tapestries cost 79 cents and
up. John D. Roy & Son
offered a modernized auto service at the big Esso station at the corner
of Main and Tingley Street. Cars could be lubricated on the new twin
post lift. "Our lift is safer, too, never knocks off a battery or
muffler, as sometimes happens with rails.
Gives us complete access to every under-car part." Roy’s
inspections, "frequently finds loose bolts and other sources of
trouble." The Home-Made
Candy Shoppe was located at 901 Main Street opposite the Capitol
Theatre. Nothing but the purest ingredients went into the company’s
large line of original candies and chocolate. On offer were maraschino
cherries, almonds, Brazil nuts, pineapple cubes and the store's
original, new and alluring candies. Also on sale was a large
assortment of flavored, home-
made ice cream. The Natchaug Radio Co. at 35 Jackson St. was
offering a special Christmas
Service. "Does your radio have
distorted tone, strange noises,
loose knobs, dial light out, interference, intermittent reception,
periods of silence? Then call for the Natchaug Radio Co.’s
prevention service for only $2.
All tubes tested, chassis wiring
tested, speaker adjusted, tuner
adjusted, and aerial grounded
and tested." Christmas
entertainment was offered in
music, film and drink. Larry and
the Mad Hatters were advertised as New
England’s most popular swing
band, and were featured every
night at Cooks Butterfly Ballroom at Springfield, Mass.
They could be booked locally by
phoning Larry Haggerty at
Willimantic 510. Christmas cheer
could be enjoyed at Paul Locastro’s
"Wonderful Tavern" at 40
Jackson St., and Tut and Jim's
"Horse Shoe Tavern" at 53 Union
St. Beer and liquor was
available next door at 55 Union
St. in Albert’s Package Store,
where Calvert's" Kentucky Pride cost $1.65 a quart,
and Budweiser beer cost $2.75 a case. Appearing in local
movie theatres were film
stars Sonja Henie, W.C. Fields, Anna Neagle, Nelson Eddy, Norma Shearer
and Deanna Durbin. Christmas meat was available at Mazzola’s Market
where customers could pick up cube steak for 35 cents a pound, bacon at
29 cents a pound and butter at 39 cents a pound.
For those without the
time to prepare food, the Five and Ten Cent Luncheonette at 873 Main
Street was offering toasted cheese sandwiches, hamburger sandwiches and
frankfurters at 5 cents and breakfasts and “businessman’s lunches at ten
cents. If you know the whereabouts
of any other issues of
the Willimantic News, or when it
ceased publication, please get in touch with us. |
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