GRAFTON, Va. – On Route 17 in York County, Virginia remains one of the great remaining Western Auto stores. Don’t you just love the flags on the front? Six of them! The chain was a national giant in auto parts and appliances. The chain opened in 1909 in Kansas City,MORE HERE

INDIANAPOLIS – Brands are more interesting when they are owned by small companies, and have some history. That’s why Bar Keepers Friend, founded in 1882, is memorable. Bar Keepers Friend is one of many products made in Indiana, including Clabber Girl. A few other vintage type brands. These include: ClayMORE HERE

We’ve got some wacky brand extensions on our main website. You could: Buy a General Motors licensed kit to turn a Saturn into an Oldsmobile Hire a crew from Sears to do an not-so-extreme makeover of your house Buy a Columbia MP3 Machine from Sony Get news from the EIBMORE HERE

Here at BrandlandUSA, folks love the brand extension. Not only does it provide exposure for old brands, it helps give the aging “legacy” brand a new chance at relevance. Sometimes, the old uses for brands disappear. Witness McCall’s, which disappeared as a magazine when it was renamed Rosie. But McCall’sMORE HERE

These days, the Brand Manager is a sort of oracle. Everyone talks about their “brand” and what happens to “brands” and protecting “the brand.” And even though there are brand managers everywhere, we wonder how great brand names could be lost, or be ruined. How are brands like Sears, Mercury,MORE HERE

Below is a list of the best American brands that are no more. These are but a few, but we know there are hundreds more regional and niche brands that are no more but still have a name or following. Do you have a suggestion? If so, add one atMORE HERE