1958

1958

Fifty years ago, Thanksgiving fell on Nov. 27.

American cars, some with fins, getting bigger and bigger. A 1958 Ford Thunderbird costs $3,625, a Ford Fairlane sells for $1,775.

A&P stores are selling 11‚Ñ2-pound fruitcakes for $1.45, 5-pound fruitcakes for $3.95; 25-pound bags of potatoes are 89 cents; turkeys, 37 cents a pound; lettuce, two large heads, 25 cents; cranberries, 1 pound, 19 cents; Eight O’Clock Coffee, 3 pounds, $1.89.

Loblaws has 2-pound, 12-ounce fruitcakes for $2.29 and turkeys for 35 cents a pound. The store gave out AA stamps (1,200 filled a book) to redeem for gifts. The redemption center was at 3109 Belmont Ave.

Among those handing out S&H Green Stamps are Gray’s Drug Stores.

Let’s go Krogering. Turkeys are 41 cents per pound; 25-pound bags of potatoes, 79 cents; and two cans of cranberry sauce are 39 cents.

The Hughes Provision Co. has two locations: 751 Garland Ave. in the McGuffey Plaza and 118 E. Federal St. downtown. Butter, 59 cents a pound; lemons, 23 cents a dozen; and hamburger, 69 cents for 2 pounds.

At Western Auto you can buy a Wizard 37-inch gas range for $184.95, and the store will give you a free turkey and carving set. The store is encouraging customers to lay away for Christmas. An advertisement in The Vindicator features a Western Flyer rocket wagon for $5.88, a 20-piece Tiny Tears doll (drinks and wets) for $17.98 and a Western Flyer trike for $7.77.

On sale at Ohio Edison are all things electrical, from toasters, can openers and blankets to shavers, clocks and coffee makers.

At Consolidated Warehouse, fruitcakes range from 88 cents to $1.99. For the cook, the Thanksgiving special is an electric roaster oven for $32.88. For Christmas for kids, doctor and nurse kits are 97 cents, regularly $2; Susy Goose housekeeping set (broom and dustpan) is $1.88, regularly $3.95.

Troys for Toys at 4150 Market St. has Shirley Temple dolls for $5.95 and Gilbert American Flyer 59-piece freight train for $19.95.

Strouss’ downtown has drink-and-wet baby dolls for $3.88.

Source: Vindicator files; thepeoplehistory.com; answers.com; babyboomers.com; earthfirst.com; infoplease.com.