Sorry for the shorter post this time around, I’m scrambling to get some work stuff done before we leave for Chicago for the Thanksgiving holiday. We’re looking forward to the trip - the forecast calls for a 10% chance of snow and a 90% chance of Portillo’s.These photos, however, say a thousand words. They’re from 1949 and show a Kroger interior in fine form. I love the wide shot, showing the checkout ladies with their official Kroger uniforms and heavy-duty cash registers, several well (and warmly) dressed customers, the bright white walls, and of course the bold, colorful graphics of the era’s product packaging. Of course there’s a box of Tide, “the washday miracle”, that most photogenic of consumer products. In the foreground are some bottled juices, including Sunsweet Prune Juice. Whenever my grandparents from Rhode Island came to visit us, a couple of these bottles would mysteriously show up on our kitchen counter. 25 years afterward, the labels looked virtually the same as those pictured. And it didn’t taste bad, provided you drank it in (very) small quantities. Of course it had other effects as well, and as my Grandpa used to say…..wait, on second thought, I’ll spare you that.
The artist’s rendering below shows a typical Kroger exterior from the same period.
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
Great post Dave. I was at Food For Less a couple of days ago and they had Kroger Brand Sliced Ham on sale. I hope it wasn't from 1949. Just kidding, LOL. Have a great Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteAwesome pictures? Any chance of finding some with the 1960's interior package of my youth?
ReplyDeleteHi Dave, hope you will please disregard that grammatically incorrect previous comment I just sent. Too much planning for Thanksgiving has left me with little brain function.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere in there I was supposed to say I hope that there is a 100% chance of Portillo's when I get home for Christmas.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoy the visit and thanks for all the great posts.
Adrienne
We’re looking forward to the trip - the forecast calls for a 10% chance of snow and a 90% chance of Portillo’s.
ReplyDeleteYou guys sounds like my in-laws when they were here in August except it was 5% chance of rain and 95% chance of going to Portillos. They don't get a lot of polish sausages out in Puerto Rico so everytime they come here they usually eat as much as they can get.
Prune juice, eeewww. No matter what the brand is I can't help myself to drink it without passing out afterwards.
Did you know that Kroger was in Florida during the 1980s, first as Foodway, then as Florida Choice? Just thought you'd might like to know....
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice-looking store -- I'm particularly intrigued by the interesting setup of the dairy department. I wonder if it was an effective refrigeration-wise, presumably it must not have been whereas it's no longer in use today. It looks relatively easy to both stock/shop from, though, and certainly has an inviting appearance. Great photos!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome. Totally awesome, Dave.
ReplyDeleteWow everyone is dressed tastefully. No hair in curlers, sweat pants, or muscle t's. What gives. Making a public appearance looking presentable, what a concept.
ReplyDeleteWhile the shots may have been staged, the actual shoppers and employees were likely used, Today, it would require using actors on a set or else the modern day casual shopper would be photographed.
Wow everyone is dressed tastefully. No hair in curlers, sweat pants, or muscle t's. What gives. Making a public appearance looking presentable, what a concept.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Good one, Ken. You forgot the shopper who goes steps out of their house till wearing their jammies which happens to me my personal fav.
Happy Thanksgiving... wishing all the best for you and your family, Richard.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Good one, Ken. You forgot the shopper who goes steps out of their house till wearing their jammies which happens to me my personal fav.
ReplyDeleteI saw a woman wearing shorts at Macy's this morning and I had to do a double take because they looked like cut-off flannel pajamas. Of course, I'm wearing shorts in 40-degree weather, but at least they're some middling brand off the rack at T.J. Maxx!
Another great post, Dave! I love maxing out the photos and looking at the product labels and prices at the time. Really cool.
ReplyDeleteHope you made it here to Chicago safely and had a great Thanksgiving with your family. At least you got good weather.
And Portillo's is a MUST. That is my favorite.restaurant.EVER! I go there so much, surely I must own part of the company by now???
LOL :)
Kim
Richard - Aw, I'm sure the ham is much fresher than that. Now the fruitcake, I'm not so sure of....:)
ReplyDeleteHope you and you family enjoyed Thanksgiving as well!
Anonymous - I do have some 60's interiors that I plan to post soon. They had several differrent design schemes. Where did you live?
Adrienne - Lol, I can relate, believe me! Especially when we host these holiday dinners at our house. And we lucked out on both the snow (enough to look great but not affect the drive home)and eating at Portillo's! Thanks, and I hope yours was wonderful as well.
Didi - I never did become a big fan of the prune juice. Maybe when I'm their age!
Clint - I didn't know that, thanks very much for that info.
Kendra - Those cases were common up until 15 years ago or so. Supposedly the design employed some sort of "air lock" that kept much of the cooled air from escaping. I have to think the glass door versions are more energy efficient, though harder to stock and keep clean. I have seen the glass doors in Jewel Store photos as far back as the early 50's.
Jack - Thanks, and I agree! Are you still in Nashvegas?
ReplyDeleteKen - No question, how times have changed. During that era, men wore coats and ties and women wore dresses and hats to baseball games. Nothing wrong with being comfortable, as I see it, but we've kind of taken the sloppy looking culture to an extreme (like SpongeBob pajamas, etc.).
I do agree that most people pictured in these publicity shots were probably regular folks as opposed to models.
Didi - Pajamas seem to be everywhere these days. Classy!
Anonymous - Shorts in 40 degree weather, brrr!
Kim - Glad you like them, and I love to see the detail also.
Thanks very much, we had a great time. The only snow we saw was on Sunday on the drive back, and it was great. Really put us in the Christmas spirit! Hope yours was great as well.
"Favorite.restaurant.EVER!" - well put! Maybe they'll send you some stock. :)
Anonymous - Shorts in 40 degree weather, brrr!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Dave. I can't even wear a skirt in forty degree weather much less shorts, but on Saturday which was a forty degree weather day I did see a girl who looked like she had just woken up, hadn't combed her hair, put on some shorts, a fleece jacket and some clogs to go shopping with maybe her grnadparents. I am not against comfortable, just not a fan of the sloppy look.