Christmas in Buffalo 1954: Department Stores

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

BUFFALO, NY- Christmas in 1954 Buffalo… As seen in the Pages of the Courier-Express!

Courier Express

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.

am&as am&as-crowd

Adam, Meldrum & Anderson
Otherwise known as AM&A’s
Three locations for these beautiful gifts…Your Christmas Store since 1867!

Bergers
Mom… Petticoats are on sale at Bergers! Shop til 8 on Main Street.

Bergers
Try LL Bergers Downtown and Thruway Mall locations!

flint-&-kent

Flint & Kent
Since 1832. Mens’ Ware in Downtown Buffalo

Grants
Shop Grants at Main and Huron

Hengerers
Open Til 9 four nights this week… Look for the sweaters in “Luscious Orlon.” Hengerers
One of many things no longer in Downtown Buffalo.

hens&kellyHens & Kelly
I like the guy with the pipe! JN Adam’s..
Not to be confused with Adam, Meldrum & Anderson.
J.N. Adam was Buffalo Mayor 1906-1909.

Kleinhans
Take until May, 1955 to pay at Kleinhans Mens Store!

Kleinhans
Kleinhans Thrift Basement is the place for ties!

Kobackers
Downtown, Broadway, Riverside

Kolipinski’s
A Fire sale at the East Side Store… Just in time for Christmas!

Kresges
Kresges is included here….not because it was a local Buffalo store, but because it was soon to become K-Mart!

Sattler’s
Buy a Crosley TV… only $1.07 a week!

Sattlers
Shop 998 Broadway for Men’s Suits!

Sattlers
Sattlers Toyland… Across the Street from 998! Check out the toy train for sale.

Sears
All Three Locations open late!

Sears… and Wurlitzer!
This Sears Appliance ad lists three Locations:
Main at Jefferson, Broadway at Fillmore, and Seneca at Cazenovia.
Wurlizter lists 674 Main as its store location.

The Sample Shop
Hertel Avenues Department store is now the site of an old folks home..

Victors
Look at the 20 inch doll with “vinyl face” and “magic skin.”

Victors
24 piece Lionel Train sets…$39.95.

Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com

 

Christmas in Buffalo 1954: Everything Else

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

BUFFALO, NY- Christmas in 1954 Buffalo… As seen in the Pages of the Courier-Express!

Courier Express

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.

Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com

 

Christmas in Buffalo 1954: Grocery Stores

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

BUFFALO, NY- Christmas in 1954 Buffalo… As seen in the Pages of the Courier-Express!

Courier Express

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.

Adrian’s Meats Many of the meats offered here I’ve never eaten… And might only in the future on accident.
Bells Check out the “Billy Bell” Mascot
Bells 9 Western New York Locations… Check out where Bells used to be in your neighborhood.
Bells More from Bells… They have Howdy Doody haucking toothpaste.
BesTaste 8 locations around WNY… and “Say Merry Christmas to your dog…”
Bestway Stores… All 7 stores Open Til 9
Culms Market, Suffolk Street. Old Fashioned wieners on sale… 55 cents a pound.
Loblaws There was one on the corner of Seneca and Ryan at one point…
Mohican Markets The one at Seneca and Buffum was most recently a Rite Aid….it is the orginal building though. There used to be a Fotomat in the parking lot.
Noel’s Foods At Delaware and Delavan, the Noels building was torn down… A “box” drug store now stands there.
Nuway The spitting image of post-war Suburbia!
Nuway Bologna “by the piece.”(?!?!)
Orchard Park Juice:  Another local brand no longer available.
Queen-o! The Generic Pop of Buffalo for a generation.
Ralph’s Food Market on Genesee St. That’s a great cigar!
More From Ralph’s!
Red & White… More great 50s clip art from Red and Red Food Stores.
Sattlers Market… Apparently the Scotsman has the best stew meat.
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com

Christmas in Buffalo 1954: Radio & TV

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

BUFFALO, NY- Christmas in 1954 Buffalo… As seen in the Pages of the Courier-Express!

Courier Express

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.

Bob Wells
Bob Wells presents The Hi-Teen Club on WEBR
ed-tucholka-polish-village-
Ed Tucholka. Here “Touch” celebrates the Polish Village program on WEBR., with Polish Village owners Mr. & Mrs. John Raczynski.
ed-tucholka-webr
Ed Tucholka plays your favorite Music up until Buffalo Bisons Hockey!
Bill Mazer, Jack Eno, and Groucho Marx A Page with ads for Canisius Play by Play on WGR Radio, You Bet Your Life on WGR-TV, and Jack Eno and Bob Wells on WEBR.
Bill Mazer, Jack Eno, and Groucho Marx
A Page with ads for Canisius Play by Play on WGR Radio, You Bet Your Life on WGR-TV, and Jack Eno and Bob Wells on WEBR.
Simon Pure Presents... on WBEN-TV and WGR-TV
Simon Pure Presents… on WBEN-TV and WGR-TV

 

Tune-o. Its like bingo... Only you play over WGR-TV!
Tune-o. Its like bingo… Only you play over WGR-TV!
WBEN AM-FM-TV Look for Lanza tonight on WBEN...
WBEN AM-FM-TV. Look for Lanza tonight on WBEN…
Ralph Hubbell and Lucy "Hubb" chats Hoops on WBEN Radio... And Lucy and Desi star on Channel 4.
Ralph Hubbell and Lucy. “Hubb” chats Hoops on WBEN Radio… and Lucy and Desi star on Channel 4.

 

Tune Your Antenna A Diagram on how best to get WBEN-TV on your set.
Tune Your Antenna
A Diagram on how best to get WBEN-TV on your set.

 

WEBR-Gene-Kelly
Gene Kelly WEBR. Gene hosts Childrens Hour… Also see the rest of the day’s Schedule.

 

webr-tap-taplin,-bernie-sad
Bernie Sadler and Tap Taplin. WEBR is LIVE at the Town Casino….
wgr-55-list
An amazing roster of talent on WGR for 1955.
wgr-tv-frank-dill
Frank Dill’s Sportscorner at 5:45
bells-howdy-doody
Howdy Doody and his pal Buffalo Bob.,..
wgr-tv-basketball
Look at the laces on the basketball! NBA: Syracuse Nats vs Boston Celtics Only on Channel 2!
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com