Local history: Nostalgic ads recall Akron Christmas in 1922
Downtown Akron was the place to be at Christmas.
Shoppers crowded the sidewalks and vehicles jammed the streets. Lights glowed, windows gleamed and decorations sparkled. Bands played, bells jingled and registers chimed.
Customers had their pick of fine stores. Businesses coaxed them inside with advertising.
Local history:Five Points Shopping Center really clicked in Akron
Today, we offer excerpts of nostalgic ads from December 1922. The messages appealed to parents and children, although a century later, the phrasing is wonderfully quaint.
It was a more innocent time. When did we stop writing (and speaking) like this?
Let’s go shopping 100 years ago.
O’Neil’s
Toyland at O’Neil’s is crowded with toys that make bright eyes grow bigger and happy hearts beat faster.
Through every aisle, glad little cries of laughter ring out in merry excitement as trains rush through tunnels and Toonerville Trolley rocks over its rough road.
Oh’s and Ah’s of merry romping children have their fullest vent in O’Neil’s Great Toyland.
A wonderland of dolls with rosy cheeks, curly hair and long lashes. Dolls that say “Mama” and dolls so dressed up they stand “just so.” Flappy rag dolls for “Kiddies to Kuddle.”
Toys for the Kiddies. Toys for mama to enjoy. Toys to interest daddy. Come to O’Neil’s Toyland — see all the wonderful toys.
Yeager’s
Yeager’s Toyland is open!
Bigger, better, brighter than it has ever been.
Toyland calls. Do you want to see a woolly bear that growls just like a real one? Would you like to play with a battleship that shoots ’n everything? Would you like to admire a doll’s wardrobe as varied as your own? And lots of other interesting things? You can! Our Toy Department has everything you’d like.
In Toyland are all the fine things that Santa assembled for his children this season.
A horn — a dog — a gun — a game — so many things to name, but all are here for girls and boys — yes, all of Santa’s newest toys.
They’re here for you, and you, and you — you must not think it really true — that fairyland could have a place — and hum with life in such small space.
Polsky’s
For the holiday season a Christmas gift shop has been opened on Polsky’s fourth floor
We were thinking of your convenience when this temporary department was planned. It is ever so much easier to make your selections when the gift items are collected in one place. You will be impressed with the Christmas atmosphere that prevails. Besides the many, many items here there are gift hints in the departments throughout the store.
For the Kiddies: There is one corner of the shop devoted to novel and inexpensive gifts for the youngest people on your list. Cleveland new rubber toys, clown dolls (wee babies can play with these), rubber sponge dolls in quaint costumes, gay colored balls and bouncing balls of every sort. And mamma dolls to be sure, blondes and brunettes with irresistible smiles.
Epp’s
Free! A doll for the girl. An airplane for the boy. Also presents for the grown-ups with every purchase.
Epp’s Toyland is so indescribably wonderful that every youngster who sees it is entranced. In this Fairyland of Toys, Santa Claus has brought some amazing things this year: Castles and Christmas Gnomes and Nursery Rhymes and Trick Elephants!
The economical, sensible and practical place to buy your Christmas gifts.
Central Hardware & Stove Co.
Trains make happy boys.
There’s happy hours in store for the boy who owns an Ives toy railroad. You’ll be president and manager, engineer and conductor of this fine road. My! What fun you can have and not only you but all your chums and even Dad enjoys railroading with one of these sturdy electric trains.
We have them to wind up, too, also stations, transformers, extra track and switches, bridges, signal lights, telephone poles, tunnels, in fact everything to make a complete railroad.
Our big store is just jammed full of the newest toys and things to make the kiddies happy, and our prices are sure to make the papa and mamma happy too.
Useful Christmas gifts. The kind that last all year — and years.
Akron Furniture Co.
Reed doll carriages offer true holiday economy.
People who have shopped around tell us that in quality, variety and economy our assortment of Doll Carriages is unequaled. Most of the carriages are of reed construction, and a few in finely woven fiber, in all the newest and best finishes, with prices starting at $6.95.
The newest and best models await your inspection.
Quantities not guaranteed. Shop early.
Akron Dry Goods Co.
Come to Toyland!
The youngsters have probably made out Christmas lists a foot long already, and expect everything to come down the chimney, but bring them to Toyland anyway.
They will have the time of their lives watching the workings of the mechanical toys amid the medley of music from doll pianos, the “Quack, quack” of ducks and the “Woof, woof” of bears.
Santa Claus is in Toyland.
He is here and has brought a profusion of brilliant colored, sparkling novelties, a tremendous assortment of new dollies and toys that will make the eyes of every little tot fairly start with wonder and surprise.
Santa says: “I want to shake the hands of every little youngster in town.”
Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!
Just Arrived — A Delayed Shipment of the Prettiest Dolls You Ever Gazed At!
The Biggest Show in Akron: 15,000 Brand New Dolls.
Sale price 10 cents to $22.50
Toyland is too small to display these dolls so we have taken over our entire second floor on Howard Street and have transformed it into a Fairy Land of Dolls. Be sure and see it and do not forget to bring in the children as this display will delight them. Come — even though you do not intend to buy.
Dollies that walk, talk, dolls that flirt and vamp, others sleep on their right side and on the left side display naught eyes. Full jointed dolls that are easy to dress, kid body dolls and ones that are daintily dressed and lifelike, so much that you would think them real.
The Day Drug Co.
Select prices on Christmas gifts:
American Coaster Wagon: $5.98
Velocipede: $4.98
Kiddie Car: $2.49
Scooter Car: $2.79
Irish Mail Hand Car: $3.98
Pansy Jointed Sleeping Doll: $4.49
Large Dressed Baby Doll: $1.89
Dressed Horsman Unbreakable Doll: $1.69
Fancy Dressed Kewpie Head Doll: 79 cents
Children’s Easel Black Board: $4.29
Children’s Easel Slate Board: $1.69
Pit Cards: 59 cents
Rook Cards: 59 cents
Rummy Cards: 59 cents
Painting Sets: $1.98
Heavy Steel Dump Truck: $6
Imported Railroad Train for Boys: $1.99
Little Boys’ Boxing Gloves: $4.49
Tin Dishes for Little Girls: 69 cents
Very Fine Dish Sets for Girls: $1.98
George S. Dales
What is she saying to Santa Claus?
That bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked youngster of yours! Has she been whispering to Santa Claus again this year? Coaxing him to bring a piano — so she can start her music lessons?
Think how much music means to her. Soon her little fingers could be trained to play music — with the aid of the wonderful Playerpiano. Please don’t deprive her of music another day.
Surprise and delight her on Christmas morning with a brand new Playerpiano. This gift of music will mean much to you and to her in years to come.
The Shumaker Shoe Co.
Gift Shoes and Comfies for Little Men and Women.
A new pair of shoes brings as much joy to a child as does a toy — and pleases its parents as well.
Our Gift Shoes for Children are irresistibly pretty, yet durable — the kind both children and mothers like best.
Why not decide on shoes for that little one for whom you are seeking a gift?
Stewart’s
Buy sensible Christmas gifts.
$1.00 down.
When you buy gifts for the dear ones, why not give something useful — and lasting, such as you can readily get on payments at Stewart’s.
For the boy, for instance — all wool suits — with two pairs pants at $9.98 and $10.98 — pay $1.00 down.
An overcoat at $10 or $15, as you choose.
For the girl, a nice dress — $12.50 to $20 or a coat —$6.98 to $19.50.
Put $1.00 down.
No extra charge for credit at “The Friendly Store of Stewart” — the first payment gets the clothes then pay the balance weekly or monthly. Welcome!
Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com.
Holiday favorite:‘Christmas Wrapping,’ an unlikely hit for The Waitresses, spreads cheer 40 years later
Local history:Warm memories of an 18-foot snowman
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Nostalgic ads recall Akron Christmas in 1922
