Hotel Pennsylvania Off Deathwatch?
Looking back on the potential demolition of New York’s Hotel Pennsylvania for a fancy new headquarters for Merrill Lynch, my how the tides have turned! Investment... Read more.
Missing the L.L. Bean ‘Double L’ Blucher Moccasins
We ran across these in the Esquire 35th anniversary edition published in October 1968. They are the L.L. Bean “Double L” moccasins. Basically, they are... Read more.
Baxter of California, Pioneer Men’s Skincare Brand
Baxter of California is one of the enduring men’s skincare brands, a sort of 1960s Keihl’s for California. Founded by Baxter Finley, it was a niche brand... Read more.
The Irish Sweepstakes on the “100 Brands To Bring Back” List
We were thinking. What happened to the Irish Sweepstakes? Do we want to try our luck? Turns out the Irish Sweepstakes died over a decade ago. Yes, we have all sorts... Read more.
Ring Up America’s Top 10 Regional Telephone Brands
Verizon missed the call when they renamed themselves. The brand is a bore. Furthermore, there were likeable regional Bell names. There is no reason why Verizon can’t... Read more.
Tastee Freeze, Twistee Treat and other Dari Delights
Soft serve ice cream is a great American tradition. It’s tasty. And easy to eat. Of course, the world knows Dairy Queen. But there were other soft-serve brands,... Read more.
The Soul of Radio Shack Was Flavoradio
Radio Shack, Reuters reports, has had an excellent quarter, in a time when other retailers have not. Wow. But let’s digress into nostalgia. It’s much... Read more.
Commodore Name Returns To Computing
Those of an age to remember Jack Tramiel and his Commodore PET, VIC-20 and Commodore 64 will be heartened to read that there will be a new Commodore computer. This... Read more.
GM’s Unpopular Models
Some GM cars aren’t selling. Why that’s a news flash! The Wall Street Journal reported today that General Motors has a large number of slow selling cars,... Read more.
Ten Ways to Fix Circuit City
I was talking to a lower-level Circuit City exec in Richmond, Virginia, around 2001-02. He had just left the company. He shall remain nameless, mostly because I... Read more.