War ended in 1991 but recession was in the air.. 30 years ago, just as George H. W. Bush launched his reelection campaign (that he lost), America went shopping..
However spending less than that year. The New York TIMES summarized the shopping season as “low key” and reported that people went frugal that year. Eventually the roaring Clinton 90s would change that and change us back to material girls and boys like we were in the 80s..
In Schuylkill County? The area seemed to do well in the background of a recession.. it was not until trade deals and other mid-90s factory closings that the area really was hit. During the recession of 91, it appeared that things were just perfectly fine in the county.
But dirty! Apparently very, very dirty.
As “cyber Monday 2021” begins, we stroll down amnesia lane to “Black Friday 91” on November 29, 1991..
The local fishwrapper the Pottsville REPUBLICAN took us to the Schuylkill Mall that year.. despite the nationwide recession, business was brisk..
According to the daily rag that day, KMart saw some of the biggest crowds at the mall on the mountain..
KMart opened that day at 7am with 80 or so people lined up outside to get in to buy appliances and Christmas decorations.
I wonder how many of those same appliances still exist in Schuylkill County homes today?
The article said that VCRs were a good seller.. but apparently all the rage in 1991 was to clean, clean clean. Dirt Devils went like hot cakes.
Really..
The newspaper reported that by 7:30 AM, 200 red Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners sold out. The manager, Federal Tessier, commented that people were noticeably upset by the quick sell-out!
One woman running into the store saw a friend with one and cried, “Did they sell out of them yet?” The vacuums were going for $129 plus a hand-held cleaner for only $1, and most people said they were buying them for gifts.”
The Bon-Ton had a crowd, leading that store manager Morris Brill to comment, “Schuylkill County just a traditional area”…
Sears did well. They opened their auto division earlier.. The store did good with sales of athletic shoes and dress shirts. And the newest store at the time, Phar-Mor, had two dozen people waiting to get in.. many of which came from K-Mart empty handed without their $129 Dirt Devil and $1 accessory.
No Dirt Devil..
Just the dirt..
And that was us, in 1991…. Ready to clean up the 80s.. not even realizing the 90s would make us dirty all over again..
