Labor Day is finally over, and as Americans across the country get back to the hard work of making our bosses richer, we’re keeping spirits high with the memory of all the amazing products we purchased at Labor Day sales. To help you get back in the workday groove—and to keep you from asking too many questions about the terms of your employment—we’ve rounded up just a few of the greatest Labor Day bargains from years gone by. Each offer was advertised in a local paper as part of a Labor Day Sale (though the earliest examples were in May, not September) and is absolutely real. How many of these extraordinary deals did you take advantage of, in lieu of a pension, job security, or a living wage?
- A children’s sailor suit, 39 cents. The Globe Clothing House, Davenport, Iowa, 1891.
- 2 white enamel dressers, slightly damaged, $8.25. Lansburgh Furniture Co., Washington, D.C., 1900.
- A lot in “one of the very best colored sub-divisions,” $5 to $15 down and small monthly payments thereafter. Bransford Realty Company, Nashville, Tennessee, 1913.
- 144 “Cutie” dolls, 25 cents each. The Bath-Paris Co., Muncie, Indiana, 1915.
- A No. 3 pail of pure lard (open kettle rendered), 38 cents. Karn Bros. Meat Market, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1921.
- A yard of radium silk, 98 cents. Decatur Dry Goods Co., Decatur, Illinois, 1927.
- Fall Wash Frocks (sizes 7 to 16 only), $1.00. The Jenkins Stores, Inc., Canandaigua, New York, 1934.
- A 1933 Packard Twin Six, $685. Angelis Bros. Used Car Exchange, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1936.
- One gallon can of prunes (limit 1 can), 18 cents. Jitney Jungle, Brownsville, Texas, 1940.
- A Johnny Lujack “Passmaster” football made from pebble-grain Texhide artificial leather, $2.44. Montgomery Ward, Fremont, Ohio, 1952.
- The “Prelude” convertible sofa bed with Castropedic Innerspring Mattress, $169.95. Castro Convertibles, Latham, New York, 1961.
- A Dymo “Labelette” pocket-sized label maker, 77 cents. Holiday Mart, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1970.
- A “Presto Burger” electric burger broiler, $11.99. Wilson’s, Alexandria, Louisiana, 1976.
- A SciSys Mark V Chess Computer, $299.00. Chess and Games Unlimited, Los Angeles, California, 1982.
- Round-trip airfare from central Wisconsin to your choice of San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Diego (must travel between Dec. 1, 1990 and Feb. 28, 1991), $258.00. Marathon Travel Shops, Wausau, Wisconson, 1990.
- One video otoscopic ear canal inspection, free of charge. Advanced Hearing Services, Salem Oregon, 2014.
Wow. From children’s sailor suits to electric burger broilers, it’s clear that American workers really do have it all! Except for a functioning labor movement.
