By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo
As Buffalonians opened up the pages of the Courier-Express and The Evening News, they saw plenty of choices for Christmas shopping around WNY back in 1954.
Included on these pages are a cross-section of the places Buffalonians would have shopped for clothing, toys, food, cars, and appliances in December, 1954.
I’ve also included this page detailing what folks would have been watching on TV (if they had one!) and listening to on radio during that month.
Okay, this is cool…. but WHY?!?!
A few years ago, I was junk shopping at the Salvation Army store on Seneca Street in South Buffalo.
My love for weird records always takes me to that part of the store,
and that’s where I found the mother-lode– boxes and boxes of old 78rpm records, sitting just as they were packed in in 1955.
But it wasn’t the records that caught my eye…– It was the NEWSPAPER the records were wrapped in!
Dozens of sheets of Buffalo Evening News and Courier-Express, all from December 1954. Well, I took the papers, left the records, and this is the result.
Allegheny Airlines
Who flies to West Virginia? 
M&T and Anchor Bar
Note the small ad for the Anchor Bar… A decade before they’d usurp the Beef on Weck as The Queen City’s Signature Dish!
T.A. Bowman
The place on Genesee Street to buy TVs!
Brown Motors
Buy Used Hudsons, Nashes, and Packards… They were located in the just recently condemned Gary Pontiac Building
Burnham’s
They’re selling off 1955 TVs
Burnham’s
Great prices on a color set
Century Clothes
The Fonz Jacket is only 18.95…… AAAAIIIIyyeeee!
The Courier-Express
The Paper itself….
Delgato’s
Another Big TV Sale
Erie County Savings Bank
Nice pic of Shelton Square office and clock
Glen Campbell Chevrolet
Nice pic of Store….
Great Arrow Rink
Could that have been the Bells/Jubillee (now an office building?)
Hal Casey
Filling South Buffalo with Used Cars
H-O Oats
Pan Toasted Oatmeal
H-O Oats
My favorite Grain Elevator, just off the 190…. Now in jeopardy with the building of a Seneca Casino…
H. Seeburgs
The factory still stands at Oak & Genesee… As you get on the 33.
Howards
Beautiful Radios for sale…
Iroqouis Gas
Thems some handsome appliances.
KleinWeil
Main Corner of Barker
Labatts
The Finest beer in the British Empire
Lackwanna Railroad
Travel in the modern, streamlined Lackwanna cars.
Langs Milk
Available at Hop-in-Shop locations.
Laube Cafeteria
Big Chicken Pot Pie 78 cents
Laube Cafeteria
Frankfurter and Potato Salad 45 cents
Laube Cafeteria
Generous Portion of Lobster Newburg 89 cents.
One More Laube ad
Irish Stew
Lee’s Drug Stores
All four plazas still stand 50 years later!
Liberty Shoes
Cheap shoes for a generation
Maisels
Suggests a Philco Radio for Christmas… Buy from his Broadway store.
Morrisons
Two Locations
Newmans
Gifts on Jefferson
NFT
Great 50’s traffic jam art.
NFT
Take the bus to the Aud for the Little Three Hoops…
NFT
Don’t forget your charge plate when you head Downtown for Shopping!
Polish Traditions of Christmas
an interesting read
Park Lane
Xmas Dinner at the Park Lane. Dinner starts at $3… Soft Drinks now start at $4.
Paul’s Pies
Baked fresh hourly
Phoenix Beer
Ask for it.
From the Picture Page
Turning out new 1955 car parts at the old Pierce Arrow Factory.
Goldins & Pies Goldins TWO BIG STORES… Pies for Fine Furniture… Delaware at Sheridan.
Sciandras
The Toyland at Bailey near Genesee.
Slades
Another Buffalo Product.
The South Park Bridge opens!
Republic Steel was torn down 25 years ago…. National Analine was Allied Chemical, now its Honeywell. The bridge is now closed for repairs.
Stranksky’s
Selling Appliances on Broadway for 60 Years.
Stephens Ford
Buy used from $395.
Sterling-Amherst Milk
Sam the Milkman is dressed for the season.
Thurway Plaza
Penney’s is Open at the Thruway Plaza…
Tinney
’53 Cadillacs from $2995
Tunmore Olds
They were an Olds dealer until the line ceased prodcution a few years back.
Western Savings Bank
Free Parking!
Winiewicz
Nice Gifts on Broadway
Wurlitzer
Not only Organs, but radios on Main Street.
Zoltes
Lombard opposite the Broadway Market.
