For Chicagoans (And Fans Of Old Style)...

Any dive bar that's worth a damn in Chicago has an Old Style sign out front. I found a fun Flickr group dedicated to all things Old Style. This is the Chicago I know and love:

The Eighties Were Clearly The Golden Years For Suburban Chicago Car Dealership Commercials...

I know all you non-Chicagoans won't have the same appreciation for this post as my fellow natives will, but I'm posting it anyway.

Howard Pontiac:



Harry Schmerler Ford:



Al Piemonte Ford:



Bob Rohrman Honda:



Celozzi-Ettleson Chevrolet:



Long Chevrolet:



Fencl-Tufo Chevrolet:

Chicago Car Salesmen Of Yore...

OK, this post is not going to make any sense to those of you who didn't either grow up around Chicago or watch a considerable amount of WGN on cable in the late 70s/early 80s. I don't know why I'm choosing to make this list, but just let me get it out of my system. I promise I'll soon be back to castigating politicians and teasing uppity famous people.

These are the ones I could remember:

• Long Chevrolet - commercials had the Long's son as a newsboy who always got a pie in the face.
• Celozzi-Ettleson Chevrolet - Nick & Maury holding bills saying "Where you always save more money!". At one time they had the #1 Chevy dealer in the country. Hard to find, tough to beat.
  
• Al Piemonte Ford - Famous for the patented Al Piemonte "karate chop"-arm motion in his commercials.
• Fencl-Tufo Chevy - Get a "Monster of a deal". Had moster puppets in their commercials.
  
• Bob Rohrman - The "King of the Car Dealers" with a roaring lion in his commercials.
• Harry Schmerler - Your "Singing Ford Dealer". Sang "Rock-a-bye your baby."
• Dan O'Connor - O'Connor Can.

Who did I miss? By the way, here's a few more blasts from the past: Nelson Brothers furniture (Nelson Brothers loves me and they'll love you, too), Aronson Furniture (Home of the credit connection), Old Chicago Amusement Park, Dispensa's Kiddie Kingdom, Magikist...

The Empire Carpet Guy...

Those of you who have spent an extended period of time in the Chicagoland area know this guy. I was back visiting recently and saw his ad with the jingle that is burned into my memory. It struck me that this guy, whose name I don't know, has been doing this commercial for as long as I can remember. At least 25 years. He's really had quite a run. Hell, he's even got his own bobblehead - a sure sign in this country that you have arrived. I wonder what has attributed to his staying power as a carpet pitch-man. All I know is that if advertising success is measured by how well people can remember your phone number, this outfit is at the fucking forefront. 800-588-2300 - Empire, bitches!

**Edited to add: Thanks to the power of the internets, I found out that the man behind the mustache is one Lynn Hauldren. He has been doing the ads since 1973. He's also a decorated war hero and an accomplished baritone barbershop singer in the group Chordiac Arrest.