Look at all the different washing powders on display have posted the picture but to see a big one go to the link.
http://www.shorpy.com/image/tid/90
http://www.shorpy.com/image/tid/90
1935 Grocery Store
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kenmoreguy89
Well-known member
Super Suds, Chipso Soap flakes, Oxydol in the middle shelf, on offer I guess, But Selox near the Super Suds??? Was it a laundry detergent? Nver heard of that, I can see near the Super Suds there're boxes of pancake flour so maybe Selox was another product as well? So weird to find detergents near food anyway......
Also all that sawdust? Ok to put it when it's rainy but there is really so much into floor and much is piled to shelves sides? So weird!
Also all that sawdust? Ok to put it when it's rainy but there is really so much into floor and much is piled to shelves sides? So weird!
Very cool picture. Spotting some of the stuff that still around like Cream of Wheat and Bisquick and Milk Bones, all don't look much different than today.
ovrphil
Well-known member
Shorpy's, great site - been around a little before, but not in markets and stores...
I'm sure my mom or neighbors used Oydol, have seen it in their laundry areas, along with 20 Mule Team Borax.
The eggs in the picture, on the floor - not kept cool? And what's Joe Phillip's Co. The Original Scrapple, next to the Dayton scale on the counter? Really interesting - thanks for posting.
I'm sure my mom or neighbors used Oydol, have seen it in their laundry areas, along with 20 Mule Team Borax.
The eggs in the picture, on the floor - not kept cool? And what's Joe Phillip's Co. The Original Scrapple, next to the Dayton scale on the counter? Really interesting - thanks for posting.
launderess
Well-known member
You could sell those boxes of Chipso and Oxydol for big money today! *LOL*
Eggs being refrigerated is something rather new. We had this discussion in another thread about leaving eggs and butter out on the counter. Indeed back in the day there were all manner and sorts of racks designed to hold eggs in the kitchen out in the open.
Remember as well persons only purchased what was needed for one or so days, not like today when many horde in supplies for the duration. Because modern refrigeration was either not invented or the family couldn't afford more than an ice box,people did without. There was also the fact many areas of the country weren't wired for electric either.
Small stores like these were gradually killed off by supermarkets and or the age of the automobile. Prior to that one would find these local grocery stores (sometimes more than one) serving a community. Many allowed a family to run up a "tab" on credit and once a month The Breadwinner/Provider went down to settle the bill. That or Madame would pay when she stopped in to shop.
The telephone was a boon to these grocery stores as most took phone orders and one could place the order on one's tab. Before (and probably during)Prohibition many such grocery stores sold booze and or beer. This way granny could get her bread, milk and *ahem* pint all in the same order!
Many of these local grocery shops functioned as a defacto community meeting place, at least for the women. If there was scandal about you only hand to hang around long enough to find out. Also if family/woman was in disgrace she needed one large *pair* to walk in where all eyes would surely be upon her.
OTHO many grocers cared about their community and allowed some customers to run up large tabs say when husbands were out of work and or there had been a death/disaster in the family.
Eggs being refrigerated is something rather new. We had this discussion in another thread about leaving eggs and butter out on the counter. Indeed back in the day there were all manner and sorts of racks designed to hold eggs in the kitchen out in the open.
Remember as well persons only purchased what was needed for one or so days, not like today when many horde in supplies for the duration. Because modern refrigeration was either not invented or the family couldn't afford more than an ice box,people did without. There was also the fact many areas of the country weren't wired for electric either.
Small stores like these were gradually killed off by supermarkets and or the age of the automobile. Prior to that one would find these local grocery stores (sometimes more than one) serving a community. Many allowed a family to run up a "tab" on credit and once a month The Breadwinner/Provider went down to settle the bill. That or Madame would pay when she stopped in to shop.
The telephone was a boon to these grocery stores as most took phone orders and one could place the order on one's tab. Before (and probably during)Prohibition many such grocery stores sold booze and or beer. This way granny could get her bread, milk and *ahem* pint all in the same order!
Many of these local grocery shops functioned as a defacto community meeting place, at least for the women. If there was scandal about you only hand to hang around long enough to find out. Also if family/woman was in disgrace she needed one large *pair* to walk in where all eyes would surely be upon her.
OTHO many grocers cared about their community and allowed some customers to run up large tabs say when husbands were out of work and or there had been a death/disaster in the family.
washernoob
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2010
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- 1,446
Absolutely fantastic site! I found a new background. It's Macy's dept store. Wonderful large images. I am spending a long time just sifting through the goodies!
You are absolutely right Laundress
There were several small neighborhood stores within walking distance to our house growing up as a kid. But there was one that was larger, had most everything you needed and did delivery. My mother would call and the order was delivered before noon. My father would go once a month and settle up the account, in an old fashioned ledger sheet. Eventually a brand new supermarket opened in the neighborhood with more stuff than I could imagine as a kid and put all of them out of business over a period of time. Down the road, another supermarket chain built a bigger and better one and that original supermarket ended up being closed. To be continued, who knows what will come next.
There were several small neighborhood stores within walking distance to our house growing up as a kid. But there was one that was larger, had most everything you needed and did delivery. My mother would call and the order was delivered before noon. My father would go once a month and settle up the account, in an old fashioned ledger sheet. Eventually a brand new supermarket opened in the neighborhood with more stuff than I could imagine as a kid and put all of them out of business over a period of time. Down the road, another supermarket chain built a bigger and better one and that original supermarket ended up being closed. To be continued, who knows what will come next.
launderess
Well-known member
Allot Of Husbands
Felt the best way to keep their wives on budget and tabs on where *His* money went was to establish credit accounts at shops. Each month the man got an itemized bill and thus could see what was purchased and for what amounts. This was supposed ot keep those nasty fights between husband and wife from breaking out over Her Indoor's spendthrift ways, but it rarely worked out that way.
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Felt the best way to keep their wives on budget and tabs on where *His* money went was to establish credit accounts at shops. Each month the man got an itemized bill and thus could see what was purchased and for what amounts. This was supposed ot keep those nasty fights between husband and wife from breaking out over Her Indoor's spendthrift ways, but it rarely worked out that way.
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
My father never had a problem with mother handling the finances, he just couldnt be bothered. But he did look that ledger sheet over carefully and then gave her crap for buying cheaper things than she should have. But everything came out in the wash, so to say.....
Freddy
The Selox was another "soap powder" no detergents then, all soap!
Probably was O.K to be sitting that close to food, as there were probably no chemicals in the soap, other than the fragrance.
Anyone notice the beautiful marbleized meat under glass! don't see that anymore!
Also, the really nice Art Nouveau light fixtures!
I'd shop there *LOL*
The Selox was another "soap powder" no detergents then, all soap!
Probably was O.K to be sitting that close to food, as there were probably no chemicals in the soap, other than the fragrance.
Anyone notice the beautiful marbleized meat under glass! don't see that anymore!
Also, the really nice Art Nouveau light fixtures!
I'd shop there *LOL*
maytagbear
Well-known member
My apartment
is a converted Mom and Pop grocery. I live in what used to be the store. Above the ugly dropped ceiling is the original pressed metal...... It closed slightly before I was born (just months). The supermarket that replaced it is now out of business (and it was a NICE one, with a truly helpful staff........)
Lawrence/Maytagbear
is a converted Mom and Pop grocery. I live in what used to be the store. Above the ugly dropped ceiling is the original pressed metal...... It closed slightly before I was born (just months). The supermarket that replaced it is now out of business (and it was a NICE one, with a truly helpful staff........)
Lawrence/Maytagbear
launderess
Well-known member
Tin Ceilings
Were *BIG* at one time in history, you couldn't get away from them. My grammer school had them as did and still do many older buildings here in NYC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_ceiling
Were *BIG* at one time in history, you couldn't get away from them. My grammer school had them as did and still do many older buildings here in NYC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_ceiling
I have a book at home from a refrigeration equipment maker from then-lots of pictures of old grocery stores-including A&P and Giant!Found the book at one of the swap shops here.
Selox
Selox was a Proctor & Gamble brand of granulated soap--if you stretched the definition of "soap" that is. In the August 1936 issue of "Consumer Reports," the magazine said Selox was mostly filler and contained "the equivalent of just a little more than three bars of soap." Obviously, Selox did not do well in the CR ratings--or in the end, with consumers.
Selox was a Proctor & Gamble brand of granulated soap--if you stretched the definition of "soap" that is. In the August 1936 issue of "Consumer Reports," the magazine said Selox was mostly filler and contained "the equivalent of just a little more than three bars of soap." Obviously, Selox did not do well in the CR ratings--or in the end, with consumers.
kenmoreguy89
Well-known member
Stan
Yes I said laundry detergent even if it was granulated soap.... yes right, almost all granulated soaps back then, I find anyway weird keeping soaps near foods.....
Also just a curiosity was Oxydol a soap? Always knew it was a detergent since the early days, the first detergent produced by P&G....
Do I know right?
[this post was last edited: 9/29/2012-10:16]
Yes I said laundry detergent even if it was granulated soap.... yes right, almost all granulated soaps back then, I find anyway weird keeping soaps near foods.....
Also just a curiosity was Oxydol a soap? Always knew it was a detergent since the early days, the first detergent produced by P&G....
Do I know right?
[this post was last edited: 9/29/2012-10:16]
Freddy the Oxydol was the first detergent made by P&G. They bought it in 1927 and put it on the market.
Oxydol is the name of a laundry detergent sold in the United States and in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1914. Purchased by Procter & Gamble in 1927, it was P&G's first detergent. In the 1930s, Oxydol was the sponsor of the Ma Perkins radio show, considered the first soap opera. As Oxydol sponsorship put the soap in "soap opera". P&G sold the brand in 2000 to Redox Brands, a marketing company founded by former Procter & Gamble employees.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></span></sup> Redox Brands was merged into CR Brands in 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></span></sup>
<h2><span class="editsection"> </span></h2>
Oxydol is the name of a laundry detergent sold in the United States and in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1914. Purchased by Procter & Gamble in 1927, it was P&G's first detergent. In the 1930s, Oxydol was the sponsor of the Ma Perkins radio show, considered the first soap opera. As Oxydol sponsorship put the soap in "soap opera". P&G sold the brand in 2000 to Redox Brands, a marketing company founded by former Procter & Gamble employees.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></span></sup> Redox Brands was merged into CR Brands in 2006.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>[</span>2<span>]</span></span></sup>
<h2><span class="editsection"> </span></h2>
Oxydol in 1942 laundry
Here is another Shorpy picture that shows a laundry in Phocnix in 1942 with the concrete rinse tubs.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/6457?size=_original#caption
Here is another Shorpy picture that shows a laundry in Phocnix in 1942 with the concrete rinse tubs.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/6457?size=_original#caption
Old Grocery stores
My mothers parents owned 5 or 6 grocery stores in the 1920 through my grandmothers retirement in 1965. The posted store was very much like the eraly ones they owned and operated up until the late 40' eary 50's when they did go to self service type stores. Their stores were in small towns and they were more of a General store from farmsupplies to nust and bolts to buying mik and eggs to the grocery's. The stores were all in about 40 mioles of each other in SW Oklahoma and my grand father would do the weekly rounds to check on all of them had managers at each and 22 to 4 workers. They did the credit tabs for all of the folks, Ony way most could eat. Lots of times they got paid right after a harvest like wheat harvest or cotton harvest. Sometimes a farmer would give them a steer to have for part of the payment which they would have slaughtered and he would then cut it up in his market they lived behind and sell. I remember on delivery days my mother helping out at our local store with the unloading and pricing suing the old black grease pencil. My grand did di all the fancy hand done signs like you see in these pictures. I do remember that Ladies Unmemtionables (pads) were paced in a plain brown bag that they could take off the shelf and not be embaressed having it in their cart. They were appilated with IGA and were the first to do so in the early 1930's in Oklahoma. The strores they had were in Jester, OK, Mangum, Fredrick, Hobart, Rocky, and Carnigie, Oklahoma.
My mothers parents owned 5 or 6 grocery stores in the 1920 through my grandmothers retirement in 1965. The posted store was very much like the eraly ones they owned and operated up until the late 40' eary 50's when they did go to self service type stores. Their stores were in small towns and they were more of a General store from farmsupplies to nust and bolts to buying mik and eggs to the grocery's. The stores were all in about 40 mioles of each other in SW Oklahoma and my grand father would do the weekly rounds to check on all of them had managers at each and 22 to 4 workers. They did the credit tabs for all of the folks, Ony way most could eat. Lots of times they got paid right after a harvest like wheat harvest or cotton harvest. Sometimes a farmer would give them a steer to have for part of the payment which they would have slaughtered and he would then cut it up in his market they lived behind and sell. I remember on delivery days my mother helping out at our local store with the unloading and pricing suing the old black grease pencil. My grand did di all the fancy hand done signs like you see in these pictures. I do remember that Ladies Unmemtionables (pads) were paced in a plain brown bag that they could take off the shelf and not be embaressed having it in their cart. They were appilated with IGA and were the first to do so in the early 1930's in Oklahoma. The strores they had were in Jester, OK, Mangum, Fredrick, Hobart, Rocky, and Carnigie, Oklahoma.
blackstone
Well-known member
Great Website!
I'll have to browse through all the photos, looking for TV or appliance store photos.
I'll have to browse through all the photos, looking for TV or appliance store photos.
My understanding
is that Oxydol was a "soap" and that the first "detergent" here in the U.S was Dreft (a P&G product)
From what I have read, the concept of a synthetic detergent came from something the Germans were working on during, and after WWI because of the shortage of fats available.
A process engineer from P&G, Robert Duncan was visiting a Soap factory in Germany I think it was Hydrierwerk and or Ludwigsshaften? and by accident, discovered compounds they had been working on, to replace soap use for laundry, but had not finished.
The Germans agreed to let him take these back to the states to have P&G study them. After years of working with them Dreft was created, but did not clean or suds very well. WWII put thing on hold for this, but on and off during the war, a chemist at P&G eventually created
"product X" that later became Tide.
As I say this is my 'understanding'! Laundress my have more info the subject.
HTH
is that Oxydol was a "soap" and that the first "detergent" here in the U.S was Dreft (a P&G product)
From what I have read, the concept of a synthetic detergent came from something the Germans were working on during, and after WWI because of the shortage of fats available.
A process engineer from P&G, Robert Duncan was visiting a Soap factory in Germany I think it was Hydrierwerk and or Ludwigsshaften? and by accident, discovered compounds they had been working on, to replace soap use for laundry, but had not finished.
The Germans agreed to let him take these back to the states to have P&G study them. After years of working with them Dreft was created, but did not clean or suds very well. WWII put thing on hold for this, but on and off during the war, a chemist at P&G eventually created
"product X" that later became Tide.
As I say this is my 'understanding'! Laundress my have more info the subject.
HTH
kenmoreguy89
Well-known member
Stan, got it.
Oh Okay I've understand your speech, you refer to detergents to the synthetic ones, while soaps for the others...
I think to remember that oxydol was named this way because of sodium percarbonate or anyway oxy bleaching agents were added in the formula along with granulated soap and other things... if so, a detergent.
I knew the same thing as you about Dreft being the first having syntethic detergents ingredients.
Synthetic detergent or not or just soap bars or powdered I think was not anyway a god deal to keep them near food and especially flour, I would not have a pancake tasting like a soap bar...and you? LOL
Thanks all!
Oh Okay I've understand your speech, you refer to detergents to the synthetic ones, while soaps for the others...
I think to remember that oxydol was named this way because of sodium percarbonate or anyway oxy bleaching agents were added in the formula along with granulated soap and other things... if so, a detergent.
I knew the same thing as you about Dreft being the first having syntethic detergents ingredients.
Synthetic detergent or not or just soap bars or powdered I think was not anyway a god deal to keep them near food and especially flour, I would not have a pancake tasting like a soap bar...and you? LOL
Thanks all!
Dreft
I can remember Dreft being marketed, as a young kid on tv, as the right thing to clean diapers and the rest for babies with their special something formula/mixture that supposidly did it all.
I can remember Dreft being marketed, as a young kid on tv, as the right thing to clean diapers and the rest for babies with their special something formula/mixture that supposidly did it all.
launderess
Well-known member
Dreft
Orignally was a light duty non-soap surfactant (want to say SLS) detergent. While it was good for laundering ladies danties, woolens and perhaps dishes it lacked the cleaning power of the best soap based products for laundry, so it had nothing more than that niche.
Somewhere around the 1950's or 1960's (not sure) Dreft was repositioned as a detergent for baby's laundry. The stuff is actually quite powerful especially once enzymes were added, but had the advantage of supposedly rinsing cleanly not leaving residue behind to affect baby's skin.
Oxydol and Chipso were laundry soaps and P&G's best sellers for that purpose until Tide came along. Indeed some at P&G were worried that sales of Tide would kill off Oxydol (and it did after awhile along with every other laundry soap), at the time but once the genie was out of the bottle that was that. Chipso would be discontinued (not sure of the last year), and Oxydol was remade into a detergent using some but not all the technology found in Tide. Later Oxydol became the first American detergent with a built in oxygen bleaching system (Europe long had Persil from both Henkel and Lever Bros. (now Uniliver).
P&G took things further when they developed an activated oxygen bleaching system (using NBOS) that first was tried out in Biz (which came out as an enzyme pre-soak, later an oxygen bleach), then became Tide with Bleach. Later this same system would trickle down to Oxydol, Gain and other "with bleach" detergents offered by P&G.
This fit the the pattern long established by P&G in that Tide being it's top shelf laundry product was the first to get any new technology. Later this would pass onto the other brands such as Oxydol, Gain, etc... However as time went on P&G put more focus on Tide and the other brands began to languish. Hence Oxydol and a few others being sold off to Phoneix Brands.
Getting back to Dreft, one says it is SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) because have several vintage packets in the stash and when using one the dust got up one's nose. Reaction was the same as when using other pure SLS products (lots of sneezing, wheezing, etc...), so that was that. It does smell nice though.
Orignally was a light duty non-soap surfactant (want to say SLS) detergent. While it was good for laundering ladies danties, woolens and perhaps dishes it lacked the cleaning power of the best soap based products for laundry, so it had nothing more than that niche.
Somewhere around the 1950's or 1960's (not sure) Dreft was repositioned as a detergent for baby's laundry. The stuff is actually quite powerful especially once enzymes were added, but had the advantage of supposedly rinsing cleanly not leaving residue behind to affect baby's skin.
Oxydol and Chipso were laundry soaps and P&G's best sellers for that purpose until Tide came along. Indeed some at P&G were worried that sales of Tide would kill off Oxydol (and it did after awhile along with every other laundry soap), at the time but once the genie was out of the bottle that was that. Chipso would be discontinued (not sure of the last year), and Oxydol was remade into a detergent using some but not all the technology found in Tide. Later Oxydol became the first American detergent with a built in oxygen bleaching system (Europe long had Persil from both Henkel and Lever Bros. (now Uniliver).
P&G took things further when they developed an activated oxygen bleaching system (using NBOS) that first was tried out in Biz (which came out as an enzyme pre-soak, later an oxygen bleach), then became Tide with Bleach. Later this same system would trickle down to Oxydol, Gain and other "with bleach" detergents offered by P&G.
This fit the the pattern long established by P&G in that Tide being it's top shelf laundry product was the first to get any new technology. Later this would pass onto the other brands such as Oxydol, Gain, etc... However as time went on P&G put more focus on Tide and the other brands began to languish. Hence Oxydol and a few others being sold off to Phoneix Brands.
Getting back to Dreft, one says it is SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) because have several vintage packets in the stash and when using one the dust got up one's nose. Reaction was the same as when using other pure SLS products (lots of sneezing, wheezing, etc...), so that was that. It does smell nice though.
launderess
Well-known member
Vintage Dreft
Circa 1937
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Circa 1937
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
launderess
Well-known member
Vintage Oxydol
Same era:
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Same era:
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Laundress
Do you know if the old Tide in that 50's-60's era had the same SLS formula? I would sneeze like crazy as a kid being around a box of Tide.
Do you know if the old Tide in that 50's-60's era had the same SLS formula? I would sneeze like crazy as a kid being around a box of Tide.
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