Closing Early

December 24, 1941, Appleton Post-Crescent

I'm assuming Ralph meant 10 pm on Christmas Eve, though that isn't specifically stated.  And nice to know we could still rely on him for Christmas Day libations in case we ran out.  Seventeen days earlier, we declared war on Japan after the disastrous Pearl Harbor attack; maybe Ralph knew how much we needed a stiff drink.  The blog first visited Ralph's way back in 2012:  https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/11/ralphs-beer-depot.html. 

Time for Change

July 6, 1929, Menasha Record

July 11, 1929, Menasha Record

July 3, 1929, The Daily News-Times (Neenah-Menasha)

Let's take a break today from holiday preparations to go back to a summer that saw the biggest change in US currency since its inception.  Apparently it took a lot of convincing with schematics and reassuring news articles in 1929 to soothe the anxiety our citizens had over the redesign of our paper money.  And while it was a big deal at the time, these changes soon became trivial as the stock market crashed later that year and the country plunged into a depression.  On a more personal note, we've also seen our paper money redesigned in the last twenty years, with the advent of anti-counterfeit measures, such as bigger portraits, special threads, watermarks, and color shifting numerals.

Not Too Late

 November 12, 1958, Twin City News-Record

Great advice for Christmas shoppers, to have had the foresight to put that special bike on layaway (remember that?) so as to have it paid off in time for Christmas giving.  My own Schwinn stingray came from this store, some ten years later, and the memories made with that bike would fill many blog posts.  I'm not sure kids clamor for bicycles like they used to...I'm sure cell phones and video gaming systems come in first nowadays.  But bikes are THE classic Christmas gift and Schwinn, at least during this era, WAS the Cadillac of bikes.

Whew!

December 20, 1948, Menasha Record

Either Santa has asbestos underpants or he really DOES have magical powers!  Assuming he DID come down the chimney, that kid who seems to be warming his hands is darned lucky Santa didn't skip his house altogether!  I'm too young to remember the Menasha Record, but I DO recall Christmas Seals and similar illustrations on the front pages of the Post-Crescent or Northwestern newspapers.

A One-Two Christmas Punch

December 20, 1948, Menasha Record

Even though the movie shown above actually debuted the year before (and in May, if you can believe that!), the Brin had the right idea, recognizing a Christmas favorite if ever there was one and booking it for Menasha to see once again.  What would become a perennial TV favorite this time of year, could, at that time, be seen only on the big screen in glorious black and white.  In the movie, little Natalie Wood wanted a forever home for herself and her Mom, but I'm sure she wouldn't have turned her nose up at the deluxe baby carriage Menasha Furniture was offering.

The Sign of Flavor

December 17, 1948, Menasha Record

Walter Bros. Brewery encourages us to once again "roll out the barrel" during the 1948 holiday season with Gold Label beer. And there's no trouble finding it using the handy list of bars and taverns, to include yesterday's blog subject, the Avalon Cafe Bar. 

Avalon Cafe Bar

We've visited the Avalon a couple of times in the past.  The links below reference those posts, in 2013 and 2016.   To refresh your memory, the Avalon sat next to the rear of the Bank of Menasha on Main Street.  In the early 1960's, the property was sold to one Fred Thurston and his partner who turned the bar into something called The Left Guard.  You might have heard of it.  

https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2016/10/avalon.html

https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/04/hustle-and-bustle-of-small-town-america.html