The 1970s, an era of Arab oil boycotts, inflation and Carter austerity, were the heyday of the discount motel. At the time, mid-tier chains like Holiday Inn, Ramada Inn and Quality Inn offered pools and dining rooms. Many of them were “luxe” in a middle market sort of way. InMORE HERE
CLEVELAND – What was formerly the North American Coal Corporation has a new logo and name, NACCO Natural Resources. The new look all has its business units, each with separate logos, all under the headline of Bringing Natural Resources to Life. The company dates from 1913, when entrepreneur Frank E.MORE HERE
The chain, which had hundreds of stores nationwide, was purchased by Mrs. Paul’s, and later sold. It then went Chapter 11, though the Ohio stores survived. This often happens when franchise chains collapse; individual franchisees continue to use the name, without any support. MORE HERE
Ball Mason jars are one of the great American brand names that define a particular category. It is so much so, that most could not even name any other brands that competed against it, though if you think hard, Libby and Kerr come to mind. This year, the company celebratedMORE HERE
CINCINNATI – Two well known regional brands are re-finding their place in the pantheon of Ohio business history. Christian Moerlein Brewery and Rookwood Pottery are profiled in a recent issue of the Cincinnati Business Courier. U.S. Bank’s Business Watch profiled the two companies in a TV report, seen above. TheyMORE HERE
One of the most venerable names in American inventing and entrepreneurship is Powel Crosley (1886-1961), an innovator who is credited with the first economy car, the first fax machine and the first lighted baseball field. Pictured here is the Crosley car, seen at an auto show on St. Armand’s CircleMORE HERE
TIPP CITY, Ohio – Back in the day, there were hundreds of regional tomato brands across the U.S. Canneries were not giant agribusiness, but were instead closer to the field, family-owned. In Virginia, I can recall Webster’s, who was famous for his Webster’s catchup. Old man Webster lived in aMORE HERE
Today’s Wall Street Journal has an article on Goodyear, and what it plans to do with its Model Room. It will eventually move headquarters, and it doesn’t know what to do with it. Already, the World of Rubber has closed, and there are fewer visitors. Bruce Weindruch, of the HistoryMORE HERE
TOLEDO – In a box of fabric, we found a little label for a dress store called Lamson Brothers. Every town used to have a Lamson Brothers, a stylish local department store that not only sold national labels, but stitched a few of its own labels into wholesale garments toMORE HERE
BRYAN, Ohio – Companies thinking they need a “factory tour” imagine frightening things, including expensive liability insurance, nightmarish staffing costs and other annoying things like fans who love your products. Yes, we do hate those people who love our products! How annoying! We take a different view. Product tours areMORE HERE