Friday, November 28, 2008

“Come to Your Home” Salespeople

My sister left a comment on my "MTM - a Small Town Insurance Agency" blog. She commented about the insurance guy who came to our home. That put me in mind of several other salespeople who came also.
First there were the bread guys. One was from Bond Bread and I think the other had Silvercup Bread. They each came two days a week, so you had four chances to buy bread, cupcakes, crullers, doughnuts, pies, etc. They would park the truck on the street and then come to the door with a basketful of stuff.
Then there was the egg lady. I don’t remember how often she came, but I do remember that she drove a pickup truck. A woman driving was rare back then, let alone a woman driving a pickup truck!
The milkman came several times a week. Of course he come so early that he was never seen. He knew your regular order, but if you wanted to change it, just leave a note in one of the glass empties hew would pickup.
A less frequent visitor was the “rag man”. His first visits were with his horse and buggy. He purchase used clothing and then I think branched out into other items (or was that the junk man?)
Another man came to sharpen knives and scissors. He had a pushcart that had his sharpening wheel mounted on it. He used “peddle power” to turn the wheel.
If someone needed a new pair of shoes: just call Johnny the shoe man. He knew everyone in the homes shoe size. Tell him what kind of shoe and he would show up with a box or two of shoes in your size and maybe one size below and one above. He brought shoes in different styles and different colors.

Of course we did go out to some stores, but that is another blog!

2 comments:

Junosmom said...

Wow! I do remember the milk man, but we didn't get such home service where I lived in Cincinnati, or at least when I was a kid.

pita-woman said...

The girls and I were playing games last night and home delivery people came up in conversation. Of course none of my girl friends remembered these services. I had to enlighten them to the Ehrlers dairy service and the Charles Chips guy.