While looking for some documents (which I still have not located) I came across some papers from September 1969. No I am not going to talk Nixon, Viet Nam, Hippies or Waitman Taylor winning the primary election.

waitman taylor apr 1968
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What most impressed me was the businesses that are no longer around and the prices for products and services. We used these ads to create commercials to air on 1490 WOMI and the competition at the time 1420 WVJS. I think you will agree things have changed.

Monday September 29, 1969 there was a big Moonlight Madness Sale Downtown. Yes downtown, 42 years ago Owensboro had a big retail downtown area. The sales that evening included:

  • Men’s suits and sport coats half price at Drury’s Mens store
  • $75 trade on your old Living Room Suite from Purdy Furniture Co.
  • Men’s Permanent Press Dress Shirts $1.99 at the Interstate Store
  • Ladies Corduroy Robes $3.99 at Sears
  • Men’s Industrial Jeans 2 for $5 at Penneys
  • Haircut Razor Cut $1.00 at Sublett’s.
  • Sublett's also had Ladies Villager/Ladybug Blouses $1.99
  • McAtee’s had ladies Famous Name Knit Slacks sizes 7-16 for $1.99
  • 27 x 36 inch Scatter Rugs only .77 at The Louisville Store
  • Sweater & Skirt sets were $9.99 at Salm’s
  • Boy’s Vinyl Jackets (bet they were warm) $3.44 at Tots and Toys
  • Shirtwaist Dresses in fall styles were $2.97 at Kresge’s

Of all the downtown stores mentioned above only Penny’s and Sears are still in business but both are at Towne Square Mall.  Yes, Sears was downtown, as was Western Auto and Harry Holder Ford. Mitchell Cleaners was on 3rd St.

First Home Federal and Owensboro Federal were a block away from each other on Frederica St. and Zales on W. 2nd St. offered FREE parking at the back door at First and Allen. Andersons had Amalfi shoes from Florence Italy for $24 and the folks at Budget Loans (two doors down from Smith Music Co. ) at 109 W. 3rd was there to help you pay for those purchases.

The Goodyear Service Store at 512 Frederica had a portable TV Sale. It featured a GE 74 Sq. inch picture TV with both VHF-UHF antennas in a polystyrene cabinet for $74.44.

Other former household names include: Gordon Brackett Furniture, Western Kentucky Gas, Owensboro National Bank, Doug Evans Auto Sales (the brightest spot in Philpot), and a Purdy Furniture Company you could buy 2 twin beds, 2 mattresses and 2 box springs at $159.00, not per month but the total price was only $159.00.

Our Friends at Sears offered Guaranteed Remanufactured Engine Short Blocks for at low as $169.00 and they also installed them.

I could list more but I think you get the picture. In 40+ years Owensboro has changed a lot. I hope that the NEW DOWNTOWN OWENSBORO can be as much a driving force of our community as the pre-mall Downtown once was.

Darrell Waltrip fans will want to know I found a story by the Messenger-Inquirer Regional Editor Ratt Pisher dated Sunday May 13, 1973 that quotes Richard Petty and Bobby Isaac saying that Waltrip shows potential.

WOMI studios June 1953
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One thing that has not changed  is 1490 WOMI. The station has been here the entire time. WOMI has  changed with the community we serve. We still deliver the news, weather and sports. We wake folks up in the morning like a great cup of coffee and send you to bed at night secure that all is well and if  anything important happens, we will be there for you.  1490 WOMI,  like Owensboro, has changed, the names are different but the commitment to serve the community continues to be strong.

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