CHICAGO – Radio and television stations such as WDIV in Detroit are in a flurry of 75th and 100th anniversaries, as radio arrived in the 1920s and television arrived in the 1940s. These anniversaries are the perfect opportunity for legacy broadcasters to celebrate their histories and call letter equity inMORE HERE
CHICAGO – When the family of the True Value Company gathers in Chicago March 16-19 for its 2023 Reunion, it will have something to celebrate. The hardware retailer, now a network of over 4,500 stores, is now one of the world’s largest dry goods wholesalers. Its success gives evidence ofMORE HERE
CHICAGO – This month, the retailer Crate & Barrel marks 60 years. Gordon and Carole Segal founded Crate & Barrel on Dec. 7, 1962 on Wells Street in Chicago. As the story is told, it was a year after returning from their honeymoon. He was 23. They were eager to sell the modernMORE HERE
PLANO, Illinois – Plano Molding, the inventor of the original molded-plastic tackle and tool box, has selected the Denver-based advertising agency Cactus as their new lead. Plano, founded in 1952, is the original maker of plastic tackle boxes. Warren “Pete” Henning founded the company after he returned from a FloridaMORE HERE
Navistar has its beginning with the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, founded by Cyrus McCormick. Cyrus McCormick’s father Robert McCormick began work on a reaper in 1809 at his Virginia farm, Walnut Grove. MORE HERE
CHICAGO – There is so much to appreciate about Turtle Wax. It is, above all, a great brand. It is one company. That makes one sort of thing. Car care products. And things made with the Turtle Wax name. The imagery and color are clear too. A turtle is green.MORE HERE
WEST CHICAGO – One of the easiest and cheapest ways to keep children happy in the summer is the frozen ice bar, and the two top brands are Fla-Vor-Ice and Otter Pops. The question is which is preferable, and why. Both brands are made by the Chicago company Jel-Sert, andMORE HERE
CHICAGO – There are some companies that not only own brands that are classics, but are also classic companies in themselves. Companies like Chelsea Milling (maker of Jiffy mixes), C.F. Sauer (maker of Duke’s mayo and Sauer spices) and Gold Pure (horseradish) sell basic, straightforward things, execute them without deception orMORE HERE
CHICAGO – Back in the 1950s, Bab-O was one of the top bathroom and kitchen cleansers, along with Ajax and Comet. Today, the cleanser is distributed by Fitzpatrick Brothers of Chicago. The brand shows up at assorted variety and specialty stores. Here, the current packaging, a gel version with bleach.MORE HERE
Most companies don’t want average people in their headquarters. They say that there are “insurance” reasons they don’t have a display in the lobby or that “liability” or “OSHA” or some other rules prevent customers from touring facilities. But we know that is a bunch of bunk. It’s an excuse.MORE HERE