01-22-2010
( Reply#: 4808 ) |
Jim Plummer |
This is too cool! This will be one very interesting book. I already learned a couple of things from the article. Surprised they didn't mention that Edward C. sr's obit was in the times on 1-1-50.quote:
Originally posted by Tom J
MINAS HISTORY BOOK:
http://nwitimes.com/news/local/article_9c50e883-9c79-53d7-a33d-2e8745c174c0.html
Originally posted by BobK
|
01-22-2010
( Reply#: 4810 ) |
Joel357 |
Tom,
I am sure that you can relate stories, from your dad, to Mr. Minas.
Joel |
01-22-2010
( Reply#: 4812 ) |
Tom J |
I don't have "stories" per se, but I could sure write up something about the family atmosphere among the Minas employees.
Tom |
01-22-2010
( Reply#: 4813 ) |
S C Jones |
Tom J:
The picture of your dad you posted here and a write-up about the length of his Minas service, including some of the comments by this site's posters in regard to remembering him and the store seems to me to be a great addition to any book about Minas in downtown Hammond..... |
01-22-2010
( Reply#: 4815 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by S C Jones
Tom J:
The picture of your dad you posted here and a write-up about the length of his Minas service, including some of the comments by this site's posters in regard to remembering him and the store seems to me to be a great addition to any book about Minas in downtown Hammond.....
Thanks, SC.
I got an Email from Dave Minas today with a link to the article in the Times. I told him I would send him something for his consideration for inclusion in the book.
Tom |
01-22-2010
( Reply#: 4816 ) |
Joel357 |
That's great because we all have enjoyed your recollections about your dad and his job at Minas's.
Joel |
01-24-2010
( Reply#: 4825 ) |
Tom J |
My Memories of the Edward C. Minas Company
Tom Johnson
Although the Edward C. Minas Company eventually opened other stores, my memories take me back to the downtown Hammond store, and to me the Edward C. Minas Company and the Minas store on State Street in downtown Hammond are synonymous. My memories of the store are from the 1950s through the early 1970s, and what fond memories they are!
I relate to the Edward C. Minas Company's downtown store as the son of a full time employee, as a customer, and as a former part time employee. In all of these ways, the store was a very important part of my youth.
My dad, Paul Johnson, began working at the Minas store sometime during the early to mid 1940s, several years before I was born, and he continued to work there throughout my entire childhood. He did not retire until 1978, by which time I was twenty-nine years old. Dad was in charge of the parking facilities, which included the outdoor lot immediately behind the store and, after it opened in February of 1961, the four story parking garage on the opposite side of Sibley Street.
I have such warm memories of Dad coming home from work, wearing his gray shirt, police officer style Minas hat, and the little black plastic bow tie that was secured by an elastic band under his collar. I also cherish the memories of my visits with Dad at the parking garage and the occasional meals we ate together at Gene’s Restaurant when Dad got his lunch breaks.
The Edward C. Minas Company provided Dad with steady employment and in doing so contributed to the stability in my childhood home, for which I am always grateful when I look back upon those years.
The store itself was a wonderland, with each department offering a fine array of quality merchandise. One could buy shoes, clothing, drapery, carpeting, appliances, house wares, candy, jewelry, toys, yard goods, home improvement items, lawn and garden items, and more at the store.
The Minas Store was not an “exclusive” establishment, but it was not a “bargain basement,” either; they offered quality merchandise at a fair price. When a person received a gift, he was delighted to find a Minas box under the gift wrapping.
I enjoyed shopping at Minas’s, especially at Christmas time when I was a child. I would spend hours trying to find just the right gifts for Mom and Dad. Of course, the money that I was spending was mostly money that I had “borrowed” from Mom and Dad. I never even considered shopping anywhere else for Mom’s and Dad’s presents, and it was not just because of the fifteen percent employee discount; it was because I would always find something of excellent quality, quality that even a child could recognize. Most, if not all, of my school clothes came from Minas’s.
I remember the refreshing coolness and the aroma from the candy department that would greet me when I walked into the store on a hot summer’s day. I remember the elevator and the dignified, smartly dressed lady with the white gloves who operated it. I remember the mezzanine between the first and second floors and how much fun it was to stand there and look out over the first floor departments. I remember the basement with its extremely low ceiling. The toy department was down there, which, of course, was my favorite part of the store when I was young. That old store had character. It had a distinct personality.
There were many fine people who worked at the store, and I remember very clearly those with whom I became acquainted. It was not just a cliché when the employees were referred to as the “store family;” there truly was a kinship among them.
I remember how proud I was as a teenager to be working part time at the store. It felt so good to have a real job and make my own money. I worked for Al Rodigher as a stock boy in yard goods for a while, but most of the time I worked for my dad in the parking lot or the parking garage.
People point to various reasons for the demise of Downtown Hammond and the closing of the Minas Store, but the reality is that the world changed, and people became more concerned with saving time than with receiving good personal service. The world has become too impersonal, too sterile, for a store like Minas’s to survive. We live in a Wal-Mart world. I’m glad the store died rather than change with the times.
The Edward C. Minas Company’s store at 460 State Street was dear to me and was a very important part of my early life. I will always remember it with fondness.
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Mom%20and%20Dad/Scan0008_008.jpg[/IMG]
Dad in the parking lot behind the Minas Store, probably about 1950. |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4827 ) |
BobK |
Nice story Tom. If you haven't sent it yet I'd change ex to former. |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4828 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by BobK
Nice story Tom. If you haven't sent it yet I'd change ex to former.
Yep, I like that idea. That sounds a lot better. Will do.
Thanks.
Tomster |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4833 ) |
Joel357 |
Tom,
That is a good contribution that you made. I bet Mr. Minas will include that in his book.
Joel |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4834 ) |
Tom J |
Thanks, Joel.
I have not yet sumbitted it to Dave Minas, but I probably will call it good the way it is and send it on to him. I appreciate Bob's suggestion about "former" vs "ex" and have made that change.
Anyone else have suggestions before I submit the article to Dave Minas?
How about you guys? Weren't some of you Minas customers? Why don't you write up what the store meant to you?
Tomster |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4837 ) |
Roger D |
Hey, Tom J.-- Why don't you include a picture of your dad when you send the story to Mr. Minas? Maybe one of the two of you as former employees. You know, family in a family!
Roger D. |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4838 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by Roger D
Hey, Tom J.-- Why don't you include a picture of your dad when you send the story to Mr. Minas? Maybe one of the two of you as former employees. You know, family in a family!
Roger D.
Good thought, Roger.
I'll probably just send a picture of Dad.
Tom |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4839 ) |
Joel357 |
why don't you send it as you posted it on here? That was good, Tom,
Joel |
01-25-2010
( Reply#: 4840 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by Joel357
why don't you send it as you posted it on here? That was good, Tom,
Joel
I will, Joel. I meant that instead of sending a picture of both Dad and me, like Roger suggested, I would just send a picture of Dad with the article. Dad was the long time employee, and I was just a part time employee off and on for a few years.
Tom |
01-26-2010
( Reply#: 4841 ) |
Jim Plummer |
Tom,
you"re part of the story also please don't forget that.quote:
Originally posted by Tom J
quote:
Originally posted by Joel357
why don't you send it as you posted it on here? That was good, Tom,
Joel
I will, Joel. I meant that instead of sending a picture of both Dad and me, like Roger suggested, I would just send a picture of Dad with the article. Dad was the long time employee, and I was just a part time employee off and on for a few years.
Tom
|
01-26-2010
( Reply#: 4842 ) |
BobK |
Send both and let him decide.
Bob
[img]http://home.comcast.net/~rkekeis/Bob1.jpg[/img] |
01-26-2010
( Reply#: 4843 ) |
Joel357 |
Also, Tom, you might want to get others to post their stories about Minas and you can really give him quite a collection of stories. What do you think?
Joel |
01-26-2010
( Reply#: 4844 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by Joel357
Also, Tom, you might want to get others to post their stories about Minas and you can really give him quite a collection of stories. What do you think?
Joel
Just up the page a few posts I asked folks here to write up something. It was in a reply to one of your posts, Joel.
People can post their memories here, if they would like to do so, and Dave Minas can "glean" them from the message board.
Please folks, I hope any of you who have some clear memories of the Minas Store will share with us and will allow your comments to be included in the book.
Tom |
02-07-2010
( Reply#: 4929 ) |
Tom J |
Here's a link Dave Minas just sent me to an article in the Post-Tribune about the book.
http://www.post-trib.com/news/neighbors/2031624,05nminas.article |
04-11-2010
( Reply#: 5310 ) |
Jim Z |
I guess I am finally on the forum Tom!
quote:
Originally posted by Tom J
MINAS HISTORY BOOK:
http://nwitimes.com/news/local/article_9c50e883-9c79-53d7-a33d-2e8745c174c0.html
Originally posted by BobK
Jim Zacny |
04-11-2010
( Reply#: 5311 ) |
Tom J |
Welcome, Jim! Glad you were finally able to get registered.
Jim comes to us from Planet Hammond, Everyone, and if he brings the same zeal to Sheptalk that he has brought to Planet Hammond, he will be a great asset.
Tom |
04-12-2010
( Reply#: 5320 ) |
BobK |
Welcome Jim.
Bob
[img]http://home.comcast.net/~rkekeis/Bob1.jpg[/img] |
07-17-2011
( Reply#: 6690 ) |
Tom J |
I would sure like to know if the book is going to be published or not. I am not hearing anything from Dave Minas about it. I hope nothing bad has happened.
Tom |
07-21-2011
( Reply#: 6692 ) |
LegulusQ |
Tom, great tribute to both your Dad and the downtown Hammond Minas Store, of which I also have very fond memories. I remember when the parking garage opened it seemed one of the wonders of the modern world to 9-year old me!
Craig |
11-04-2011
( Reply#: 7361 ) |
Tom J |
Great news! Dave Minas is posting in Planet Hammond on Facebook that the book is supposed to go to the publishers in December and be available for purchase in February!
They are STILL soliciting pictures of anything related to the store but time is winding down. If you have something that you feel should be included in the book you had better get it to Dave right away.
Tomster |
09-09-2012
( Reply#: 8680 ) |
Roger D |
Just saw the obit for Edward C. Minas III in the Times of NWI. He died at his home in Washington state in August. |
09-09-2012
( Reply#: 8681 ) |
Tom J |
Thanks, Roger. Eddie was one fine man. All of the store employees loved him and respected him.
Tom |
09-16-2012
( Reply#: 8691 ) |
S C Jones |
Tom, i just saw the obituary for Edward C. Minas, III on the NWI site. Thought you and others might be interested in reading that, if you haven't already done so.
quote:
Originally posted by Tom J
MINAS HISTORY BOOK:
http://nwitimes.com/news/local/article_9c50e883-9c79-53d7-a33d-2e8745c174c0.html
Originally posted by BobK
|
09-16-2012
( Reply#: 8692 ) |
Tom J |
Thanks, S.C.
I had seen that but maybe others here have not.
Tomster |
09-22-2012
( Reply#: 8696 ) |
Tom J |
Some of you may not be aware of the "Edward C. Minas Store Family" page on Facebook. I started that page several months ago and there have been some extremely good contributions by several people. We have recently been blessed with many posts by Mark Nosich, who was the last Minas employee or one of the last two employees at least.
Here is the link but if it doesn't work just do a search on the name of the page, "Edward C. Minas Store Family."
http://www.facebook.com/groups/110000992442368/
Tom |
