Window shopping Downtown circa 1929

JERRY PERSON

During the Great Depression years of the 1930s, one way to enjoy a

Sunday afternoon with the family and not spend any money was to take

a walk around local businesses and admire the newest clothing styles

and appliances in their windows.

Window shopping became a tradition in many families as a way to

just get out of the house even when stores were closed.

For this week’s look back we are going to do a little window

shopping along our local business district in October of 1929.

We will begin our shopping adventure at Bristol’s Service station

at 602 Ocean Ave. (Pacific Coast Highway) where Warren J. Bristol is

having a price war on tires and has several sizes on display in his

window.

Walking south along Ocean Avenue we arrive at Main Street where

were encounter the beautifully decorated windows of the Rexall drug

store at 201 Main St. and in its window we find an array of beauty

preparations, lotions, creams, powders for the face, pen and pencil

sets and a variety of toiletries for the ladies. The drug store was

having its famous one-cent sale at the time.

In this same building we find the Harris Candy store at 105 Main

St. and its window shows the face marks of children peering through

the glass at the displays of beautiful candies and sweets in all

colors of the rainbow.

At the alley we begin to smell the aroma of bread baking in the

oven at Eader’s Bakery at 111 Main St. His window had a fine array of

breads, cookies, cakes, pastries and pies to tempt your appetite.

Walking further along we encounter the window display at Turner

Dry Goods at 119 Main St. that has an assortment of table linens and

table runners in one window. In the other window he has arranged a

large display of ladies’ shoes that could equal that of any big city

store. Turner has also added a display for Halloween, complete with

costumes, masks and Halloween novelties.

A little more walking leads us to H.J. Smith’s Radio store at 125

Main St. and on display he has the new Majestic Model 60 radio along

with many other radios of the time.

Crossing Walnut Avenue we walk north to 412 Walnut Ave. and Bales

Electric to see his display featuring a replica of Tomas Edison’s

first incandescent light and a picture of the great inventor. There

is also a display of the new Sparton radios that are so popular.

Next to Bales we find at 414 Walnut Ave. that Marinello Beauty

Shop’s manager, Anna Butler, has decorated her store window with an

array of artistic toilet accessories for a lady to enjoy.

Back onto Main Street again and at McCoy’s Drug store, 201 Main

St., we behold an assortment of pen and pencil sets, bridge sets,

toilet articles and a nice array of druggist sundries to entice one

into their store.

In our next window, we see an array of mens clothes at close-out

prices at C.J. Mills and Sons store at 205 Main St.

Walking a little faster now, we come upon the windows of J.O.

Loretz’s Rotary Cafe at 211 Main St. The entire front window is used

to display an assortment of the chef’s appetizing pastries and foods

in the newly remodeled cafe.

It was National Fire Prevention Week and in one window of Tovatt’s

Hardware store, 215 Main St., sat a large poster displaying a scene

of fire engines and a hook and ladder truck around a ranger cabin in

the deep forest. In Tovatt’s other window was a display of Acme

paints.

B.T. Mollica & Sons window at 217 Main St. that advertised work

shoes for the men in the oil fields, gloves and sturdy shoes for

young boys.

Crossing Olive Avenue we peer into the windows of the Five Cent to

One Dollar store at 305 Main St. to see dresses and other apparel for

ladies, toys for children, stationary and school supplies -- all

costing under one dollar.

By now it was getting late and we hurry on over to Jack

Robertson’s men and boy’s store window where we see the latest styles

and fabrics in suits, coats and ties as well as shoes and shirts for

the male members of the house.

Willis Warner’s Hardware store windows at 112 Main St. had the

newest gas ranges in colors to match your kitchen. In his other

window he displayed the latest Steinite radios and a display to

advertise fire prevention week in a very forceful and impressive way.

We’ll end our window shopping spree at the corner of Ocean Avenue

and Main Street where Butcher Pharmacy, 102 Main St., window beheld

an assortment of Armand face preparations, druggist sundries and Page

& Shaw candies.

* JERRY PERSON is a historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident.