I, my brother, and sister would dress in our best and were taken to downtown Cleveland by Mom to see the “real” Santa at Higbees. We were then told that the rest of the Santas we were going to see were “helpers”, so don’t tell the kids that were in line at those other stores.
We then would go to The May Co., Halle’s, Sterling-Linder-Davis to see an immense Christmas tree going up the center of the store (also got to see Francis the Talking Mule there), Bailey’s, and then Taylor’s, making a day of it carrying whatever dodads we got at each Santa visit.
We’d pass the Peterson Nut Store on the corner of Ontario and Euclid Ave., where the aroma of newly roasted peanuts would deliberately be wafted out on to the street. We’d stop at a Dime Store (remember those? I think it was Kresge’s where there was a grand piano with someone playing Christmas songs) and we’d stand at a counter to feast on a hot dog and birch beer.
Each store had elevators with operators who’d call out whatever each floor was selling. The May Co. actually had a big room somewhere on the 6th floor to babysit your kids while you shopped. I remember there was a big sliding board and lots of sand all over the floor.
Then we’d stop back later at The May Co. to meet our dad who sold furniture on the 6th or 7th floor, and we’d all go down to 9th street to an alley where we’d eat at Chef Hector’s (the original Chef Boyardee) and feast on delicious Italian food, each dish covered with a metal lid.
Then home again on a bus from downtown Cleveland back to Euclid, Ohio. Those were the days. I guess I could write a book, huh?
Are Euclidding me? That was great!
Main St. Flushing was like that for me
we’d also go into Manhattan to see bigger
spectacles of course