Some neat stuff...CD players in the 1983 catalog for $570, as it was brand new technology. All sorts of neat stuff that will take you back down memory lane if you're anywhere older the 30.
Not too much Cancon on there, but here's a link to the 1979 Sears Canada catalogue. Page 370 on, is classic menswear. 26" Console TV a whopping $969..29 years ago thats a lot of dough.
Only being 3 at the time, but always loved getting those new catalogs in Spring, Fall, and Christmas, especially Canadian Tire and Consumers Distrubuting growing up in the 80's.
Hopefully this person continues to be unemployed and unemployable, and have access to more old stuff like this.
Catalogues from Eatons, Sears, and especially Consumers Distributing are what I wish I had kept the most from the 80s but my parents threw them all away.
Man, yesterday I was sure I saw some guy walk away with a videodisc player ($299 in Sears 1983 catalogue) at Value Village. This is for playing CED discs, these were a sort of videodisc that used VINYL discs and needles just like old records to play video. It was in that wierd gap between the videotape and laserdisc era. A spectacular failure but I've always wanted to see on.
Looking through these just made me very sad and angry at my parents for throwing out so much of my childhood or giving it away to my friends or younger cousins without telling me.
Strange to see things that you have and the prices they retailed for.
This is in the basement, I used it to listen to some records a few weeks ago, but I had to do it via headphones because the actual speakers I have hooked up to my parent's 50" TV for years now.
i used to love the consumers distributing catalogues when i was a kid.. i must've looked through the toy section everyday back then, dreaming about the toys that i wanted.. ah the good ol days
This is in the basement, I used it to listen to some records a few weeks ago, but I had to do it via headphones because the actual speakers I have hooked up to my parent's 50" TV for years now.
In your basement?! That is in my room! Seriously it is. When my grandmother moved into a nursing home I moved into her house. That was in her old room (now mine) and I never moved it out.
How weird is it for me to say I've hooked my iPod up to it to listen to music?
__________________ "Calgary Flames is the best team in all the land" - My Brainwashed Son
I have stereo gear circa 1982 too. Record player, receiver, an
equalizer, and a 1988 Sony CD player. All works, except the record
player needs a new needle. It was around then I lost interest in
music, so the CD player was barely used (I haven't purchased a
CD since 1989, had a couple given to me as gifts, but I have
no idea where they are).
Gave the receiver and equalizer to my 2 (now 5) year old daughter
so she would lay off my current stuff. They have all sorts of cool
lights so it worked like a charm. The new stuff, well, receiver only,
doesn't have nearly as many pretty lights. She knows that this is
her stuff, and that over there is Daddy's, leave it alone, and besides,
her stuff has cool lights!
Location: Close enough to make a beer run during a TV timeout
Exp:
Consumer Distributing was 20 years ahead of its time. Imagine a store today where you can browse the catalog on paper or online, pick what you want, and just go to a warehouse and pick it up. That would be so perfect in today's online shopping world.
I actually think their only problem was the lineups. They took forever because you would go to the line with your order slip, the guy would try to find your item that wasn't in stock, take forever, and the people behind would have to wait. If they could have computerized their inventory, you walk into the "store", submit your order electronically, and it tells you prior to lining up if its in stock.
Consumer Distributing was 20 years ahead of its time. Imagine a store today where you can browse the catalog on paper or online, pick what you want, and just go to a warehouse and pick it up. That would be so perfect in today's online shopping world.
I actually think their only problem was the lineups. They took forever because you would go to the line with your order slip, the guy would try to find your item that wasn't in stock, take forever, and the people behind would have to wait. If they could have computerized their inventory, you walk into the "store", submit your order electronically, and it tells you prior to lining up if its in stock.
Had the right business model (overhead cut big time over a normal department-type store, no mechandising and floor staff needed to do anything but pick orders out of sight of the general public), but the expectation that something in the catalog should be in store, and frequently wasn't, was an issue. Crushing for a young kid..and all they could say was try somewhere else or come back next week.
Plus, with a catalog only, no chance for "sale prices", and, lack of flexibility of changing up merchandise over the 6 months before the next one came out.
That all said, that 3 mins after submitting your ticket, the joy felt seeing that GI Joe tank roll out anonomusly from the back was a unique feeling of luck, satisfaction and happiness.
I tell ya, if you had Mattel's head to head quarterback back in 1979, you were one popular kid. It was a damn kick ass game for that era! I went through a helluva lot of 9 volt batteries.
My boyfriend is obsessed with the Toughskins robot, the logo that was on the tags for these pants. I've been trying to find the logo for years to make a t-shirt for him, but have been sadly unsuccessful.
I remember thinking Stop Thief looked like the coolest game ever. I wanted it so bad at one time.
They brought back the Mattel handheld sports games a couple of years ago. I picked up a football and baseball for my son. Surprisingly, despite him having 360 and others, he will play them once in a while and so do I! These weren't the head to head games though. The simple hand off games...like so...http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Mattel/FB.htm
Anyone remember this?
Good times.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
Retro Sears Catalog
