lifetimeresident says

Coke was still cola, and a joint a bad place to be..............Come on sing along......

lifetimeresident says

The old Sandusky

Mr. Wiggs; Venice Rd Plaza

Ontario; By High School

And do you remember Grants in the Plaza.

Barlows grocery

Ahh, what about Lawsons;Sears, Woolworth,JC Pennys moved to the Mall

Do people still go to the Mall or just Walmart?

wiredmama222 says

remember "buzzing" the Ave?  the downtown stores, the movie theaters?  I remember Penneys, Lasalles, Caryle Cranes and the two 5 and 10 cent stores.  Fahro candies, Gray Drug, Ohio theater, State theater, the mens stores.  Christmas downtown was FANTASTIC.  It was hard to find parking but fun to be there.  I learned to parallel park in downtown and it scared me to death but I did it.  Some of the best times of my life were spent down there.  There weren't bars down there like now.  You could get on the ferry boat and go to CP in the summer or to Pelee Island.  You could shop till you dropped. 

My aunt and I walked down there every night in the summer and got pop corn and fed the gold fish at the boy with the boot.  I loved it.  I used to love the old post office. 

It could be fun down there again, if we took some time and helped it grow back up.  If we took some interest and got some good stores down there.  It went wrong because of the people who wanted everything to stay the same and the stores moved OUT.  They went to Perkins because the city wouldn't help.  Maybe they will be more willing now with this new group in power. 

Walmart isn't doing as great as everyone thinks.  K mart and sears aren't either.   We need a new direction. 

wetsu says

In the early 60's I recall going on a downtown shopping excursion with my mom during the Christmas season.  There was a steady, gentle snowfall occurring at the time with little to no wind.  I remember how beautiful the scene was as we went from store to store.  It was nothing short of magical with the sights of the season and that gentle snow.  Even as a young boy I recall thinking that it was the type of night that the holiday season was all about and feeling that I would always have that mental image of the night.  I don't have any idea what I got for Christmas that year, it doesn't matter, I have that vivid memory.  All was calm, all was quiet.  Yep, our fair city has changed dramatically but I count myself as fortunate for that night. 

Cracked Cherry says

I support as many local stores as I can in town here.

Fireside says

Ok.....nice memories. Now tell me how many LOCAL Mom and Pop stores do you support today? 

How many of your neighbors have businesses of some type that you support?  

Julie R. says

My best memories as a kid was downtown Sandusky --- especially at Christmas time. I know there's progress and all but when I look at downtown Sandusky now and compare it to what it used to be, it makes me sick. That big parking garage alone has to be the ugliest thing ever. 

6079 Smith W says

@ NineMM:

Could be. I just remember that the very first time that I saw and rode an escalator was in a large dept. store in the "big city."

Was Lasalle's next to Penney's?

http://sanduskyhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Lasalle%20Deparment%20Store

 

 

NineMM says

@6079 Smith...................The escalators were at J.C. Penny. LaSalles had the elevator to the Mezzanine.

sanduskysteve says

Smith - I think A&Ps problem was when they became a grocery only store.  And it wasn't that long ago that there was still an A&P in Norwalk.  But they faded fast after they started down the tubes. 

OMG.LOL.WT_ says

Check out the cheap meat prices. 

sanduskysteve says

Jimbo - before Walton there was Kresge and Woolworth - I think we know what they turned into - hmmm - K-Mart. You don't believe taht K-Mart had an impact on mom and pop stores? What about Mr. Sears and Mr. Roebuck? Way before K-Mart and Woolworth. In fact, many mom and pop stores from even before the time of this article sold their products thru their catalogs. Everything in this country isn't bad because of Sam Walton.

6079 Smith W says

Walmart? Not-to-worry little Sam Walton haters, every enterprise has its day.

A&P was once the largest retail chain in the country; where are they now?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26P

I remember the place where I first saw and rode an escalator - LaSalle's.

 

FruGalSpender says

A large quantity of canned goods can be seen in the windows of the Bender grocery, and signs on the building advertised teas, spices, crockery, tobacco products, and H-O Buckwheat.   all of those are long gone except for the buckwheat.

Just Thinkin says

It was nice , thing is I have never heard of anyone getting a parking ticket shopping in Perkins, LOL .I remember going Downtown and walking from store to store. to bad it died. Why dont they tear all the buildings down like Huron then ? Build condo's. or leave it barren.Hey get rid of the coal docks build a money only resort and lock out more shipping from the area, like urine / sorry meant Huron  did with Con Agra LOL Sandusky you killed yourself. to strict on shopper's but afraid to handle the druggy's. maybe the point can use you for parking ? and let the truth hurt ,we did go Downtown and walked the parks this Summer. and as we were leaving going south on Hayes Ave, We were stopped at a red light. when it turned green a group of Sandusky's fine Black youth stepped in front of our car and dared us to hit them we and other's sat thru one light, they pointed finger's at us in the gun shape, If I would have done that my butt would have been arrested ,you know that as fact, .so Sandusky get your youth in line. you have become a boil on this area, Black youth you want respect give it and pull up your pants,I have many Friends of all races and yes the white youth are no angels .so Good Luck and I'll shop and visit elsewhere till your safe

Eph 2 8-10 says

Lest we forget Manhattan Clothing, Frankels, Webers, Kresges, Niseners, Woolworths, Tieche Jewelers, Bielstein Laundry and Dry Cleaning, Reiger Barber Shop, Gainsborough Camera and Studio, and many others. Those were the days.

Red Baron says

People today have lost their sense of community...plain and simple.
They'd also rather have a cart full of baubles and trinkets, than a handful of necessities. Customer service is completely dead today also.

Sadly people will be unable to return things to serving eachother and will continue to follow the path of servitude to large corporations.

SR watcher says

Ahhh, Woolworth's downtown.  After Mom dragged me around J.C. Penney and Lasalle's (remember the mezzanine?) for back-to-school clothes (and to Pietchman's--sp?-for shoes), she'd take me to lunch at Woolworth's.  Those BLTs were a taste of late summer heaven!

8ballinthesidepocket says

 Now residents go to that corner to buy their crack!

grandmasgirl says

I must really be older than most who post on here. I remember, J.C Penny, LaSalle's, Caryl Crane, grabbing a sandwich at Woolworth's and many others. The best Christmas's I had were running from store to store in the snow, carrying bag after bag to the car. I never had to worry about the packages being stolen, or being mugged. I remember the beautiful Christmas lights and everyone being so happy and gay (if I can use that word in the proper text). Music was everywhere. Ahhh, the good old days.

rjk1915 says

 I recall that this corner was also an A&P store, probably in the late 20's or early 30's.

pntbutterandjelly says

@ origen: Luv the "sign" sign     :-)

jon491 says

They also ate at real restaurants  , not fast food joints.

iamrevolutionary says

 I remember a store downtown..Jupiters, I think.. My grandma andd my aunt used to take me to Sandusky to shop on week ends. Can't quite remember the other dept. stores...

origen says

Too bad they are going to make sugar illegal (Fat kids you know.) Lets put it this way Walton had a good idea, If you woulda had it you would be rich too.

JIMBO2 says

Then in 1962 Sam Walton got a brilliant idea ( if you were Sam), Lets start a chain of stores that run the mom and pop stores out of business. My family will be super rich and Mom and Pop will be.. Who cares I'll be rich.