Kelvinator vs Leonard?

[athanasius80]

I saw the Speed Queen vs Amana question on another forum today. I know the Leonard was a 19th Century icebox maker, and that Kelvinator bought them out in the 1920s, but why would they have made refrigerators under both names in the 1930s if it were the same company?

And don't get me started on Coldspot made for Sears Roebuck.

 

[laundromat]

I believe that just like McCormick/Schilling spices and Tappan/O'Keefe and Merrit products that there were different names for different areas.One of the slogans was "McCormick in the east. Schilling in the west."Not that everyone remembers some of the places (retail stores)I visited when I was a kid but I do remember that a store known as E.J.Korvettes carried the full line of Leonard major appliances and the washers and dryers they had were identical to the Kelvinators.I lived in Baltimore at the time and E.J Korvettes was in Towson and Glen Bernie.They went out of business around 1967.My grandfather told us the name came from the original owners who were Eight Jewish Korean Veterens.How true that was is beyond me. I never investigated it.But remember my grandfather(Halstead,mom's dad)was a major worker at the old Chevrolet plant in B'more and drank whiskey like it was water.Some of the tales he'd bring home after his evening shift at GM were hillarious.He was a test driver for the new cars and trucks at Chevrolet.Sometimes the brakes would either lock or fail all together.He never stopped working.He retired from GM in 1970 but went to a condominium complex and managed their maintanance department till his death in '87.When my uncle and I went to clean out his apartment,We found 20 pension checks from GM that were never cashed and about $18,000 in cash under his bed in a cigar box.

 

[countryguy]

I remember the refrigerator that was in our house when I was growing up was a Leonard. My parents purchased it new in the 60s. It was a 2 door model and frost free. I distinctly remember the word 'Leonard' on the freezer door handle. That refrigerator was still used by my mom up until she died in 2001.

Gary

 

[petek]

I've seen the odd Leonard fridge around here as well though I don't recollect who ever sold them. I'd have to assume it was one of the few local appliance dealers that have long gone out of business. Another trip to the librarys microfilm machines to look at 50's and 60's newspapers may hold the answer.

 

[sdlee]

stores stores everwhere

growing up in LA we often went to the Leonards department Stores. My dads name is Leonard and because of that we kids somehow believed these stroes were ours hahahahahaha.

They were typical dept stores with EVERything in them so I just figured maybe there was a connection to the various Leonard fridges I saw growing up. They DID have appliances in those places.

Does anyone else remember these stores?'

Also does anyone remember a SNL skit with Lisa Loopner (Gilda Radner)and her mother (Jane Curtain)waiting for the leonard repair man to come fix the fridge

and when he does(Dan Akroid when he was young and hot) he bends down and gives the ladies one heck of a mooning,probably the first of such on live TV at the time.? Puh-Retty funny at the time.

 

[gyrafoam]

I remember old Leonard washers were Kelvy's in disguise but can't recall who around Atlanta sold them. Perhaps Tom will know.
Its been so many years since I last saw one I had forgotten all about them.