Here is a cover from a Marion Richardson handwriting book that came from The Everett School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. (Everett was the predecessor to Cape Henry Collegiate School.) Everett used the best British teaching methods, including Richardson’s series, up until the 1970s. We saved it because we are admirersMORE HERE
Tucumari, N. M. – Restored American motels keep popping up, a witness to the American need to preserve some of the more interesting parts of the American roadside, especially on Route 66. Here, the Safari Motel. Tell the kids it’s the sort of roadside attraction from Pixar’s Cars. The hotelMORE HERE
We know that CAFE fuel standards are the culprit in killing off bigger cars in the U.S., but its manufacturers who are responsible for killing off the word STATION WAGON in their marketing. And so, brands like Volvo and Volkswagen now own the upper middle class consumer. We found aMORE HERE
We ran across an old record catalog from the 78 era, and noticed that it came from a jewelry store in Norfolk, Virginia. The jewelers D. P. Paul, still (I think) a favorite old-line jeweler in the Norfolk area. Strangely, in 1941, they used to sell records. It made usMORE HERE
DETROIT – Not that I really like Pontiacs these days. They’ve not been interesting for a long time. But now, there are serious discussions that GM will announce that Pontiac will be shut down as a brand. Frankly, it doesn’t make sense. If Pontiac sales stink, then so do Buick.MORE HERE
CHASKA, Minnesota – Great brands bring personality to commodities to products like soap. Perhaps the best example of such a brand is Mr. Bubble. If the packaging and marketing were not there, the product would not be interesting at all. But since the packaging and old advertising was so good,MORE HERE
How does a brand like Charles of the Ritz, at one time far larger and more prestigious Estee Lauder, just plain disappear? This makeup and skincare brand was merged into Revlon, and while some of its perfumes still survive, the Charles of the Ritz brand does not. Customers on BrandlandUSAMORE HERE
DETROIT – No brand is safe now and General Motors (NYSE: GM) is indeed in a mess. All the brands are damaged. It should not be this way. All of them lost sight of what their mission was in GM. You cannot have multiple platforms which cost you money andMORE HERE
This fashion house was named for Norman Norell, the famous American fashion designer and movie designer most famous for dressing Gloria Swanson. Norman Norell died in 1972 and his brand lives on in a perfume, Norell, but the fashion brand does not. A 1997 revival was tried, but it neverMORE HERE
PALM BEACH GARDENS – Lilly Pulitzer opened up a new boutique in The Gardens mall in Palm Beach Gardens. The website The Selvedge Yard snapped a photo of Lilly herself in a post entitled Pink-a-palooza. The store opened April 17, 2009; it is the second company owned store in PalmMORE HERE