#tbt 1971 & some Tonawanda retail history

This post may contain affiliate links to companies I know and trust. If you purchase something through one of those links I will receive a few pennies to help fund my yarn, fabric and vintage cookbook habit

So much retail- so little time. Or something like that. I have just discovered the browse newspapers section of Fulton History and now I will be getting nothing done.

Why 1971? Why not. Why Tonawanda retail history? Because that is the first newspaper I snagged since I know the area & remember some of the now closed stores.

This Go Rite-Aid ad is from the January 6, 1971 issue of the Tonawanda News,

The Division & Erie location in North Tonawanda would have been in the plaza that Budway’s Groceries is. No good Google streetview available.

2101 Elmwood is now an Ahold Era Tops Supermarket. Prior to it being Tops there had been a Gold Circle & other stores on the site.

I am unsure where in the (former) Bells-Park Edge Plaza that the Rite Aid would have been in. The Plaza is still standing there with a Savers thrift store in the former Bells-Park Edge store/ Curtis-Wright Airplane Hanger. (Even if Google Street view still shows Office Depot in the former hanger)

The 452 Main Street location? Still a Rite-Aid. I can’t post a Google Street view of the front since traffic isn’t allowed on Main Street- so here it is from Pearl Street.

Tops- Why Pay More?  (credit to Fulton History 1 & 2)

This ad also dates to January 1971 and is North Tonawanda specific with only two locations mentioned.

2 Goundry Street is now an Auto-Zone (it was also replaced with an Ahold era Tops just over the Erie Canal in the City of Tonawanda)

1385 Nash Road is sitting empty. I believe it may have been converted to Vix at one point- Vix being Tops drug & general merchandise discount store.

Remember when stores were closed on Sundays and that being open and selling stuff could lead to arrest? I don’t but there was a time when it was a big deal and against the law.

In January, 1971 charges against the manager and clerk of the Ames Department Store were dismissed. Apparently Ames and a few other stores opened the Sunday before Christmas in hopes of getting a few sales.

From what I’ve been able to gather the location of Ames is now a Valu Home Center– but I will continue to dig into the world of Google to verify.

bells supermarkets 1971

Bells Supermarkets- 1971 1 & 2

Norbans and Deborah Grace stores- January, 1971

The 1971 Torino was only $2444. Plus the Pinto!  A strip plaza is now in this location.

All this digging around has made me a bit thirsty- time for a 3/$1.00 (or 39 cents each) sub from G.C. Murphy and some 89 cent wine from Frank’s.

Oh yeah, GC Murphy is now the North Tonawanda History Museum I can still get booze at Frank’s though!