Matching Matches

Just for the record, do you have matching matches? Maybe the matches match the record,or perhaps the record matches the matches. Either way, this "match game" is for adults who love a jazzy trumpet tune and having a smoke at the same time. These matching matches truly did double duty, promoting the latest record album and promoting the jazz club where Al (He's the King) Hirt played live shows. Located at 501 Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the club was originally named Dan's Pier 600, for owner Dan Levy, when Hirt recorded his first album Horn A-Plenty in 1962. By 1964, when the record album Cotton Candy was released, the club took the same name as new owner Al Hirt, where cigarettes and records were available at the concession stand. "New Orlean's Greatest Ambassador" began playing trumpet at age 6, and attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before he recorded hits including "Java", "Cotton Candy", "Sugar Lips", "Fancy Pants" and the Green Hornet TV show theme song. When not appearing at his self-named club, Hirt made appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and peformed the first ever half-time show during Super Bowl I. Hirt owned and played at the club until 1983, and died in 1999. His popularity and jazzy trumpet tunes earned him a statue in Legends Park, just 2 blocks from his Bourbon Street club. For the record, the KC Matchgirl has acquired six album matchcovers but only one matching record.

Undercover Covers

The KC Matchgirl assumes that everyone knows what a matchbook looks like- but over the years, as a collector, she's found a few that are not what they appear to be: 

Take that pale blue one for instance- there's no text, front or back, not a thing that would attract a collector, right? But open it up, and there's a pad of sticky notes inside- a very clever use of the typical matchbook style in an age when disposable lighters are more popular.

Next to it, compliments of Wilber Clark's Desert Inn, is a completely intact mending kit with 6 colors of thread, 2 small white buttons, a needle and a safety pin.  While this one has never been used, it's a handy thing to have, all with the convenience of carrying a matchbook.



The pink matchbook wants to know, 
"How are you?" 

The conversation continues inside: HELLO! How are you doing? I feel fine. It's my introduction- then you can write your name, address, and phone number inside- because you're giving this to someone else!  That's not all- you're also giving them a piece of chocolate shaped like a row of matches.

This sweet idea is a product of Japan, and lists all the ingredients for the chocolate on the back side.

If the person doesn't like chocolate, next you can try the gift of incense- the finest incense- because it's a blend of 7 perfumes. Inside, wrapped in red foil, are 20 incense matches with directions for use. Might come in handy to cover the smell of smoking in someplace you shouldn't be smoking, or smoking something you shouldn't be smoking.

A bigger chocolate? Sweet! Is it shaped like a row of matches? Yes- but it's an eraser, so if you were expecting chocolate, or anything sweet, you're probably disappointed.

Again, this is a novelty product from Japan.












Our final Undercover Cover really looks like a          

package of chocolate- not just any chocolate, but Ghirardelli brand of San Francisco.  This is the good stuff, folks, not some novelty chocolate made in Japan.

Now the KC Matchgirl opens the cover with anticipation....and it's...matches.

Not even a coupon for free chocolate- or save 50 cents- just matches.





Notes: Sticky note matchbook by Writersblok ; mending kit, Silver Dollar Sales Co.; chocolate, The Matchbook Choco; incense, Thomas Page Corp.; eraser, Leadworks; Ghirardelli matches,Walter Chibbins Co.

HoJo A Go-Go

New England cupola and weathervane? Check. Vivid orange roof? Check. Neon sign outlining Simple Simon and The Pieman? Check. Add 28 flavors of ice cream and fried clam strips and you have Howard Johnson's recipe for his "Landmark for hungry Americans".

Howard Johnson's empire of restaurants and motor hotels began in 1925 with the purchase of a drug store and soda fountain, where he developed his 28 ice cream flavors. He took his ice cream recipe, added clam strips along with other New England favorites, and opened his first restaurant  in a quaint Colonial building in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1929.

To expand his first location, he offered franchises- as long as he could design the building and supply the restaurant with his food products. Within 6 years, there were 130 locations bearing his name.

By 1948, Johnson had hired architect Russell Nims to design a completely modern restaurant, with large glass windows, vivid colors, and built near highway interchanges that would attract travelers. As a nod to the original Colonial style, Nims retained and updated the roof cupola and weathervane.

Nims was back at the drawing board to design a "Landmark for sleepy Americans" that would be adjacent to the restaurant locations. The first Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge opened in Savannah, Georgia in 1954, and the motel gatehouse's iconic angular roofline would be repeated in other cities across the nation.

The Johnson family sold the franchise, which included 1,040 restaurants and 540 motels, to British Co. in 1979.  The new owners were not so interested in operating restaurants and began closing or selling them off. Franchise owners could still operate under the Howard Johnson's name but no new franchises would be offered.  Today, Howard Johnson motels are owned by Wyndham, which also owns Travelodge. (See "You're Getting Sleepy", Jan. 2017)

The franchise empire that started with one restaurant 90 years ago is back to one location, in Lake George, New York and depends on the nostalgia of travelers that remember dining under the orange roof.






Note:  This is just a small selection of a large variety of matchbooks produced to promote the Howard Johnson's franchise. All covers pictured date from the mid-1950's to mid 1960's.

Salt of the Earth

Pass the shaker of white gold please...or maybe you just call it salt when you season your food.  But next to gold, salt is one of the Earth's most valuable minerals, for its variety of uses.

America's largest manufacturer and distributor of a wide variety of salts, Morton was founded in Chicago in 1848 by Chicago businessman Richard Alonzo. This new company sold Ondonaga Salt as Richmond & Co. After his partner acquired more of the company, the name changed to Joy Morton & Co. in 1889.  The name changed once again to the Morton Salt Company, when it began manufacturing the salt it sold, in 1910.

A year later, Morton was the first manufacturer to add magnesium carbonite (an anti-caking agent) to create a free-flowing salt. This revolutionary development was due to the fact that salt absorbs humidity, making table salt difficult to pour in damp conditions.

While early advertisements included lengthy descriptions of the advantages of free-flowing salt, the now famous slogan, "When it rains, it pours", didn't appear until 1914. New York advertising agency N.W. Ayers modified the old proverb and then paired 
it with a young girl holding an umbrella- her container of salt freely flowing behind her.

Nearly every decade since, this salt-spilling girl has been updated with the latest styles, and the color yellow was added to the familiar blue and white round container in 1941.  The last update occurred in 1968, so the current image of this always nameless girl, with her yellow dress, shoes, and umbrella handle, has been an icon for several generations.

To celebrate her 100th birthday in 2015, the Umbrella Girl was re-drawn to simplify her details and better fit an updated "Morton Salt" word mark. While the slight change made headlines a few years back, most of us barely noticed- though we sure would be shocked if she left her umbrella at home and carried her salt so it wouldn't spill.

More shocking would be to buy a container of salt for 10 cents-

Note:  This matchbook shows the Umbrella Girl as she looked between 1921 and 1933. Note the package reads "Morton's Salt" not Morton Salt, as it's been known for years.

In(ner) Springs We Trust

Can't sleep?  Are you tossing and turning all night on your old mattress- that was never engineered for comfort or durability?

What you need, my sleepless friend, is a mattress powered by inner springs for firmer support AND advertised in Today's Health magazine.The trademarked Poweramic (that's Power-a-mic, not Powermatic) springs will have you sleeping like a Greek goddess with nary a toss or turn.

Manufactured right here in the KC Matchgirl's home state, Poweramic springs were a product of the Steadley Company of Carthage, Missouri. Founded in 1928, Kent Steadley (1889-1960) purchased the Carthage Superior Spring Bed Manufacturing Co. and shortly shortened the name. Steadley sprang from his position as president of his father's Carthage Marble Co., landing softly before expanding the product line to include not only inner spring units, but sofa-bed construction, hospital units, Hollywood bed frames, and Sinuous-type springs.

Despite his success in the bedding and furniture industry, Steadley became more well-known to Carthage residents after his retirement. Having sold his company in 1957, to the Lehigh Valley Coal Corp. of Willmington, Delaware, he and his wife Mary created the Steadley Memorial Trust.  Annually since 1959, the trust has awarded millions to assist with the "well-being of mankind and the general welfare of the community".

Until 1996, the company continued to carry the Steadley name. Leggett & Platt, a rival mattress manufacturer founded in Carthage in 1883, was finally able to absorb their local competitor. The Steadley name carries on through the annual trust awards and Steadley Elementary- where surely, no sleeping is allowed.

Note: The Steadley Company's factory was located at No.1 River Road, but when Leggett & Platt took over the facility, the name was changed to Leggett Road.  The matchbook dates from the early 1960's.

On The Move

Whether you're "Movin' On Up" like the Jeffersons, "Movin' Out" like Billy Joel, or even "Moving Right Along" like The Muppets, any move from here to there is a pivotal moment in life.

For philluminists (serious matchbook collectors) the pivotal moment was when the match striker was moved from the front of the cover to the back. While the industries involved did so for improved safety, the necessary change became the ballywick that helps collectors date how old a matchbook is. In fact, there are collectors that only seek "front strikers" and practically disdain "back strikes" even though in some cases the matchbook has an identical design- but the slightly newer version has the backside striker.

This "announcement" design, produced by the Diamond Match Corp. highlights that moment when the striker was officially moved from the front to the back.  While it's not dated, the change was mandated in 1973, thus giving collectors a median for determining the age of the matchbook.

This design is one of a series of at least four styles produced that addressed match safety - Don't smoke in bed, Keep matches from children,  Keep matches and medications from children. (See blog post "Safety First", April 2015) Inside, they all have the same message balloon about safe usage- kind of like the industry saying "Hey, matches aren't dangerous unless you use them wrong!" 

The KC Matchgirl has thousands of complete matchbooks, and she is merely a collector, not an arsonist.

Note: In addition to the striker location, the digits on a phone number or zip code can help determine the age of the cover, in addition to design styles.

Wining, Dining, and Mining

There's a gamut of restaurants to chose from when scouting the best locations for an evening of wining and dining, but few also offer the atmosphere of mining. The matchbook pictured, for Baby Doe's Matchless Mine, actually tells no tale- until you dig a little deeper.

The top layer is the namesake for this late 20th Century restaurant chain, Elizabeth "Baby Doe" Tabor. Her rags to riches to rags story has been told in countless books, movies, and even an opera. Widowed at an early age and then abandoned by her adult daughters, she clung to the only things she had left, a tiny cabin and a closed silver mine.

Her fate as a tragic figure in American history was sealed when she was found frozen to death inside her sparse cabin in 1935. Her cabin and the adjacent Matchless Mine have been a Leadville, Colorado tourist attraction ever since, and registered as a National Historic Place.

The second layer, as we dig deeper, takes us back to 1978 when Specialty Restaurant Corp. of Anaheim, CA developed the concept for a dining establishment built to resemble a ramshackle mine. Founder David Tallichet located hillside areas in Birmingham, AL, Columbus, OH, Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Denver, CO, Los Angeles, CA, and Kansas City, MO that would offer diners downtown skyline views and the very popular beer cheese soup.

A third, deeper layer, surfaces at the Kansas City location.  Like the others, it was constructed of weathered wood, rusty metal, and accentuated with mining cars, a windmill, and perhaps some livestock for a true, rustic dining experience. With 10 dining rooms, a lounge, and giftshop, it was a popular dining destination after its September 1980 opening.

But just like its namesake, the restaurant Baby Doe's experienced a tragic death when diners felt the building shift in July 1985.  The restaurant was quickly evacuated as gaps in the flooring grew wider. After the building was declared unstable, it was shuttered and vacant for several years, looking more and more like the abandoned mine it was built to resemble. Eventually, it was demolished after declaring the area was too unstable to repair or rebuild.

One by one, the remaining locations closed, for various reasons, and have been demolished to make way for new development. Seems nobody wants an abandoned mine these days, even with a skyline view.

NOTE: While both versions of the restaurant's matchbook have a photo of Baby Doe on the cover, the older, and more worn example (perhaps it was found in a mine) reads Baby Doe, while the version pictured at top reads Baby Doe's. Both are from the Kansas City location, which was located on W. 26th Terrace at Bi-State Drive, featuring a west side downtown view.

This Little Piggie

Everyone with toes, knows how it goes: this little piggie went to market, this little piggie stayed home, this little piggie had roast beef, this little piggie had none. And this little piggie cried, "Whee, I'm going to the Pig Stand!" (Which is a restaurant that will serve pigs- but only on a bun.)

At any rate, The Pig Stand hails as the "Originators of Drive-In Service" where customers could get "A tasty meal served at your wheel". While we're used to fast-food drive-throughs today, this was a novel concept in 1921.

The Pig Stand #1 opened in Dallas, Texas and quickly became popular enough that founding owners Jessie Kirby and Reuben Jackson opened additional locations. Customers could drive up and place their orders through uniformed carhops (male) and chose from a menu that offered chicken-fried steak sandwiches, onion rings, milkshakes, and extra thick slices of bread they dubbed "Texas Toast". The trademarked "pig sandwich" was Tennessee-style BBQ pork on a bun. Pig-shaped neon signs reading "pig sandwich" dotted cities  and states after the owners started selling franchises in 1925.
 
But like any popular business, other sandwich shops tried to hog in with their own version of The Pig Stand, with similar names and menus. That's why the simple name "pig sandwich" was trademarked. To stay ahead of their imitators, they hired an architect to design a unique building that featured a red-tiled pagoda-styled roof for all their newly-constructed Pig Stands, and even demolished their earlier stands so all their restaurants would look the same and be easily recognized by customers.

Over the years, the menu changed and expanded- the only thing that didn't change was the 'pig sandwich". By 1959, the chain had scaled back their franchising and only operated in the Texas area (Dallas, Houston, Ft. Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Beaumont) and the founding families sold out to a new owner. The pagoda buildings were phased out for more modern "coffee shop" restaurants.

Under a bankruptcy filing in 2006, all  the Pig Stands were forced to close. But luckily, the tale does not end there- a long-time employee (since 1967) was able to purchase and re-open Pig Stand #29 in San Antonio.  The menu still offers the "pig sandwich", which once cost 15 cents, for $6.99. Yes, times have changed but at least the sole-surviving Pig Stand still stands.

Note: Mary Ann's Pig Stand (Pig Stand #29) is located at 1509 Broadway, San Antonio, TX. This matchbook dates to the early 1960's.

 

Merry Christmas, Darling

Somewhere across America, on one of those 24-hour Christmas music radio stations, The Carpenters' holiday hit "Merry Christmas, Darling" is playing- let's tune in for a moment...

"Greeting cards have all been sent, and thank goodness you licked the envelopes, Darling"... Wait, that's not quite right! Let's listen again...

"Greeting cards have all been sent, and thank goodness you licked the Darling envelopes..." Still sounds wrong, right?  But in this case it is right- since the holiday greeting inside this matchbook actually comes from the Darling Envelope Corporation, once located right here in the KC Matchgirl's hometown. Their envelopes may have been darling, but their competitor, Tension Envelope, had the larger facility just a few blocks away and eventually bought out the corporation in 1999.

This swinging 60's Santa was a stock design for the Lion Match Corporation, which also had a location in KC, MO when this book was produced.  This style was easily customized by printing the inside cover with a company logo and address.

The usually benevolent Santa seems a little stingy with his greeting though, only offering Darling's clients a "Happy Holiday". If he has only included an "s", New Year's happiness could have been offered as well.

Chances are that all the Darling envelopes that once traveled the mailways have been signed, sealed, delivered- and tossed.  But thanks to collectors, at least this matchbook remains to continue its holiday message year after year.

Note:  The Darling Envelope Corporation was located at 2018 Washington Ave. This 40 count front-strike cover can be dated prior to 1973. 2018 Washington currently houses an employment agency.

Nothing Ventured

The old saying, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" sums up the short retail life of the Venture department store retail chain.

Current discount retail giants Walmart, K-Mart and Target, all founded in 1962, were well established when the concept for a new department store was developed. John Geisse, formerly with Target, and Dave Babcock, of May department stores met in 1968 and figured they had the experience to open their own stores, the aptly named "Venture". In 1970, the first store opened in St. Louis, Missouri and within a few years began expanding into Kansas City and Chicago.  At that time, there were no Targets in those areas and Walmart only operated in smaller towns.

During the 1970's and 1980's, Venture stores dominated suburban strip malls, where their black and white diagonal striped signage and facade made a bold impact.

The KC Matchgirl recalls many shopping ventures into Venture, taking home her bargains (record albums for $2.99!) in those black and white striped sacks.

By 1990, Venture ventured into Texas, opening multiple stores at the same time.  But by then Texas shoppers were loyal to K-Mart and Walmart, and the venture failed. Venture sold their Texas locations to K-Mart in 1996. While re-grouping to focus on their original stores, the straight, bold lines that had defined Venture for so many years were softened to wavy lines, like a U.S. flag in the wind, in 1997.  But Kansas City shoppers never saw the new design, as Venture filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 1998 and all stores closed for good 4 months later.

Venture's adventure in discount retailing lasted less than 30 years.

Note: This front strike matchbook dates from 1970-1973.  It is blank on the inside and would have been distributed at all locations.

Wall to Wall

A concrete dinosaur, fiberglass jackalope, and free ice water made the world's largest drug store the best travel stop ever.  But back in 1931, the now-famous Wall Drug was just a tiny storefront in a dusty little town nestled in a no-man's land.

Ted Hustead, a pharmacist from farther east, had moved his young family out west to Wall, South Dakota and purchased the town's only drug store, eking out a meager living, dependent on the local townsfolk that might need an occasional prescription. By 1936, on a hot and dusty afternoon made even more miserable watching travelers stream past the town without stopping, Dorothy Hustead figured a few travelers might stop if the store offered free ice water.  Ted was not so optimistic, but nevertheless made up some signs and set out to post them along the roadway.

The story goes that by the time Ted returned to the store, Dorothy was busy chipping ice to serve the line of thirsty travelers that had formed- a few even decided they were more than thirsty and bought some ice cream. Dorothy's simple idea had the store full of customers every day since. Over the years, they hired more employees and expanded the store to offer more than drugs and sundries.

By the 1960's, son Bill Hustead, who had grown up serving the throng of thirsty travelers, expanded the store even more, adding souvenirs and attractions- like the 80 ft. tall concrete dinosaur at the  I-90 exit ramp and the oversized (6 ft) jackalope big enough for kids to sit on. Long before cell phones and selfies, Wall Drug had created a variety of photo ops to lure travelers and entertain the kids.

The entire Wall Drug complex covers 76,000 sq. ft. in a town with only 800 residents, and most likely 799 of them have worked at Wall Drug one time or another, serving cup after cup of free ice water.

Note: Wall Drug is located at 510 Main Street, but all you really need to do is follow the signs, and look for the big green dinosaur.

Happiness Is:

What makes the Happy Chef so happy? Is it the wooden spoon he waves over his head? Is it his dapper orange vest? Or maybe his white suit with nary a food stain?

Certainly he had to be happy that once there were 63 Happy Chef Restaurants dotted across the Midwest.  The first one in Mankato, Minnesota opened its doors in 1963, when not one, but 3, happy chefs started serving family favorites. Tom Frederick Sr. was joined by brothers Bob and Sal, and soon they were able to purchase other restaurants in nearby cities, eventually spreading to Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Missouri.

Each location had its own 36 ft. tall Happy Chef out front that would "talk" if customers pushed a button. Apparently, the message could be recorded at the local manager's whim because there was no standard message playing at each location.

The KC Matchgirl had her own brush with the famed Happy Chef many years ago. Turns out that the local Happy Chef Restaurant was in the path along the way to her grandparents house in nearby Raytown.  After a while, it became quite the landmark for the 2 kids in the back seat of the family car, and one of us, or both, would have to exclaim, "Look, it's the Happy Chef!"  My dad was game to try different restaurants from time to time, so we did actually stop once and "Dine at the Sign".  For some reason, I don't recall hearing the Chef talk during that visit- maybe we didn't know you had to push a button or it just wasn't working. The most vivid memory was getting to take home a new matchbook!

We never made it back before the restaurant was shuttered and dark, and the Happy Chef  was removed- Gone!

But my story does have a happy ending. While nearly every Happy Chef location has been sold or closed over the years, one still remains. If you're ever in Mankato, look for the original Happy Chef. He's still waving his spoon, and happy as ever to be your chef.

Notes: Visit the original Happy Chef restaurant at 51646 US Hiway 169, Mankato, MN

The Kansas City Happy Chef stood just outside the main entrance of the Blue Ridge Mall.  The restaurant was remodeled and operated as a ChiChi's Mexican restaurant for many years. The mall and restaurant buildings were closed over a decade ago and demolished for new development.

You're Getting Sleepy...

Weary traveler, take a hint from this sleepy bear, seeking out the closest TraveLodge for a good night's rest.

Wait!  That's not just a sleepy bear, but Sleepy Bear- the mascot for one of the oldest motel chains.  Founded in 1939 by Scott King, the first location in San Diego grew and was soon found in major cities across the United States. Sleepy Bear made his appearance around 1954 and was soon featured on all promotional items, from motel signs to, yes, matchbooks.

Unlike other motel chains that built on the outskirts of town and featured full amenities such as pools, restaurants, and lounges to lure travelers off the freeway, TraveLodge had in-town or even downtown locations, where a traveler would have a range of restaurants and lounges nearby to choose from.  Comfort and convenience were key, along with cleanliness, friendliness, and courtesy. Simmon's "Beauty Rest" mattresses ensured the "Best Rest...East or West".

Over the years, Sleepy Bear became less prominent and disappeared from signs as logos and even Sleepy Bear was redesigned- to be fluffier (more Teddy Bear-like) and ready to rest in his blue nightshirt and nightcap. More recently, Sleepy has been featured in character-themed rooms for kids called Sleepy Bear Dens, with bedspreads, curtains, even lampshades featuring the drowsy bear.

By 2006. Travelodge became part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, which now owns other iconic motels chains such as Howard Johnson's and Ramada. World-wide, there are currently over 4000 Travelodge motels.  As for Sleepy Bear, he still checks into Travelodge, but is considerably more alert-looking these days- because he finally gets that good night's sleep he's needed!

Notes: This TraveLodge matchbook dates to the early 1960's.

The Kansas City Travelodge stood for many years at 10th & Cherry.  Before the motel's recent demolition, it operated as the Cherry Street Inn.  The only Travelodge in Kansas City is actually located in Platte City, near the airport.

Attention, Shoppers!

"Store manager to aisle 3! Exuberant shopper, waving cans and boxes! Manager to aisle 3!"

The vintage shopper on this matchcover for Safeway Food Stores may have been overjoyed by the "big variety" during that time period- but the KC Matchgirl knows that grocery stores have gotten bigger and bigger over the years. These days, with aisle after aisle of product-laden shelves, variety is not just big, it is ginormous.

At that time, Safeway was also ginormous, having grown from just 2 stores back in 1915. Founder Marion Skaggs expanded his business by buying out competing markets and in less than 10 years, 1926 to be exact, the Safeway store chain linked 428 locations in 10 states.  Not much affected by the Great Depression, the chain continued to grow, expanding to 3400 stores in the U.S. and Canada.

"Safeway", by the way, has nothing to do with food freshness or store sanitation, as one might presume.  The name "Safeway" was coined because because they only operated on a cash basis- no credit.  So Safeway customers were shopping the 'safe way' and not racking up debt buying groceries on a store tab.

Like all grocery chains, Safeway had their own store brands on the shelves, such as Lucerne dairy products and Crown Colony spices and coffee, along with all the popular name brands. Using the same model of buying out other companies, the company expanded into other countries: United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

Despite its popularity, Safeway began closing stores in certain markets and had shrank to 1335 stores in 2014.  A merger with the Albertson's grocery chain in 2015 has continued to shift Safeway's presence- and thus can hardly claim to be big in any way, any more.

Note: This matchbook can be dated to around 1962, when Safeway began using the red-and-white S logo.This may be one of a series featuring various store items- this one promotes baked goods on the back cover.

Dutch Treat

Headed out for dinner?  Tired of Chinese, Mexican or Italian? How about a "Dutch treat"?

No, the KC Matchgirl is not suggesting you should pay your own way- but that you should stop at the windmill restaurant once known as The Zuider Zee. (Pronounced Z-eye-der Zee.)

Located in the larger cities of Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri, this once-popular seafood restaurant chain was founded in 1957.  Restaurantuer Bill Martin opened the first location in Ft. Worth, TX and named it The Zuider Zee, using the name for the Netherlands "Southern Sea".  Also known as Holland, this small European country is known more for its tulips and windmills than its cuisine- so having dinner at The Zuider Zee was not like having an actual Dutch meal.

While this matchbook clearly states it was an "Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant", apparently the menu also featured popular non-Dutch items like gumbo and hush puppies.

Just as the namesake Zuider Zee sea is no more- all those windmills removed the sea water so the land could be used for farming- The Zuider Zee is no more also.  After growing the chain to twenty locations, Martin sold them off to another company in 1968, which in turn sold them again in 1971.

In their efforts to make the quaint windmill restaurants bigger and better, the menu was changed, customer traffic slowed, and eventually all the restaurants were shuttered and sold off, one by one.

Bill Martin opened a few more seafood restaurants in Ft. Worth- without windmills or big corporations.

Note: This front-strike matchbook dates to the early 1970's and lists 2 locations in the Kansas City area at that time.  One was in Independence at 3800 Noland Rd, the other near 103rd & State Line Rd. Did you have a Zuider Zee in your hometown?

Pelicans, Briefly

Pelicans don't need addresses.  They can fly or swim whichever direction they want to go, including the Plantation Yacht Harbor Resort.

Humans?  We need addresses, or at least good directions, not a sentence on a matchbook telling us to just go "70 mi. S. of Miami on U.S. #1" to find this "Vacation Paradise for the Whole Family".

Still, it's a large place- 40 acres with 150 ft. of dockage, boat ramps, tennis courts, shuffleboard, putting green, children's play yard, swimming pool- after driving 70 mi.S. of Miami, it sounds like once you find this place you should stay awhile.

So spend the night in one of the 56 units or efficiencies (motel or cabins), have a bite in the dining room, all of which are air-conditioned and heated because this resort is "open year 'round".

It took a pelican's eye view for the KC Matchgirl to locate the remains of this resort, as it appears the original buildings were removed between 1995 and 2004, when it began a transformation into a city park. 3 more tennis courts were added to the original 2, and now there is a new, larger pool, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and an outdoor theater.  Only the footprint of the marina seems unchanged, and the pelicans who flock there for the "World's Finest Fishing".

Note:  Founder's Park of Islamorada, FL, is located on the Plantation Key.  The address is now listed as 87000 Overseas Highway.  This book dates to the 1960's.

Hola, Aloha

The KC Matchgirl has always been intrigued with the quirks of spelling- as in how one letter can be added or moved and it becomes- a different word.

Take the Spanish word for "hello" for instance, and compare it to the Hawaiian word for "hello/goodbye".  Ever notice that, even though Hawaii and Spain are half a world apart, these words are very similar and mean the same thing?  And what does this have to do with the pictured matchbook for the Aloha Motel?

This charming Hawaiian-themed motel is nowhere near any Hawaiian island, but aims to bring that tropical feel to none other than- San Antonio, Texas.  Where one is much more likely to hear "Hola" than "Aloha".

While the KC Matchgirl can't be positive about which year the Aloha Motel began luring San Antonio  travelers with its Polynesian flair, it's a safe bet it was part of the craze for all things Hawaiian back in 1959 when Hawaii became the 50th state.

Despite the name, it was pretty much the standard mid-century motel, the only tropical amenity to the typical pool-side aluminum chairs with webbed seats under metal striped patio umbrellas was a smattering of live palm trees.  Once affiliated with Best Western, the restaurant was commended by the Diners Club and the motel was AAA rated.

The rooms featured the piped music offered by Muzak- perhaps that was Polynesian, or there were tropical bedspreads to carry out the theme.  And if it all sounds similar to the KOCHI Motel in Yankton, S.D. (Yanked A Ton, Feb 2015) they are connected- by the same highway, U.S. 81.

By 1972, it appears the motel changed its focus from travelers to college students, operating as the Aloha Inn.  The sun set on the motel when it was recently demolished to make room for a Sonic Drive-In.  While a few palm trees remain, this motel has said "Aloha".

Note: "Swimming & Recreation for the whole family" is only a smartly worded phrase outlining the amenities offered- swimming pool, kid's wading pool, and a putting green- quite a lot to offer travelers during that time period.  The Aloha Motel was located at 1435 Austin Highway.

Window Pains

Once upon a time, there was a window and an elephant.  The window was very tall, tall enough that an elephant could look in, or perhaps look out- it's hard to tell which.  One could even imagine that the elephant's head has broken through the window, having pushed too hard while looking either in or out.

Andrew, as it turns out, is not the name of the elephant, but a charming elephant-stuck-in-the-window restaurant.  Owned by 2 brothers, one of which may have been named Andrew, both of which may have been twins, but with the restaurant being located in Dallas, neither likely owned an actual elephant.

The restaurant had a New Orlean's vibe, but the decor and menu was mostly eclectic.  Popular menu items included red beans and rice, a grape-flavored slushy cocktail named "Moondance", and Tumbleweed Pie, the later containing mostly ice cream and whipped cream and nary a trace of tumbleweed.  Not sure what year Andrew's closed their doors, but favorite recipes were being queried on the internet by 2009.

This matchbook came into the KC Matchgirl's collection quite recently and brought back another story about a window and an elephant...

Once upon a time, there was a young boy, "He who shall not be named", who woke suddenly in the night.  He looked out the window next to his bed and saw- Gasp! An elephant walking along the cross street.  He woke the adults from their slumber with the news, but peering out the same window into the darkness, alas, the elephant could not be spied.

Perhaps it was all just a dream-

Likewise, someday the KC Matchgirl will discover the true story behind the elephant, the window, and Andrew's Restaurant.

Note:  Front and back of this 1980's matchbook are exactly the same. The original Andrew's was located at 3301 McKinney, Dallas, TX.  The current restaurant, Breadwinners, has kept the tall Palladian windows, perhaps for the elephant's sake.

Seeing Spots

Poet Gelett Burgess wrote these famous lines:  I never saw a purple cow, I never hope to see one.  But I can tell you, anyhow, I'd rather see than be one.

The KC Matchgirl supposes the same would be true about a polka-dotted cow, the mascot for Polka Dot Milk and Ice Cream.  A family-owned dairy located in Hastings, Minnesota, bottled their first jug of milk in 1956.  Available in certain areas in Minnesota and neighboring state Wisconsin, the dairy produces the usual range of liquid milk products, along with cream cheese and cottage cheese.  Jugs of orange juice and punch seem to have replaced the afore-mentioned ice cream.

"Dotty", the blue-dotted bovine, was born when Wally Pettit and Herb Koch decided to enter the dairy business.  After a few years, Pettit became the sole owner.  Wanting locations that would offer only his Polka-Dot brand, he opened his own little markets (superettes), named for that famous "little man no bigger than a thumb".

Tom Thumb made his first published appearance in English folk tales in 1621, and there are various supermarket chains across the country that operate under the same name but are not affiliated.  Pettit's chain of superettes grew to offer gasoline and other conveniences, operating 131 stores when they sold/closed that division in 2004.

Pettit passed in 2005, but the family continues operating the Polka Dot Dairy, with Dotty still gracing every jug and bottle.

Note:  It was unusual for stores to be open every day during the 1960's, when this matchbook was produced.

Little Indians

The song may not be as popular as it used to be, but the KC Matchgirl remembers learning to count to the tune of "Ten Little Indians".  Each chubby little finger represented an "Indian boy" to be counted and there was nothing politically incorrect about it.

While we're reminiscing about the American Indian, er, Native American, let's take a look back at this matchbook for the Santa Fe Railroad, featuring little Chico.  As we can plainly see, this cute little fellow is representing the American Indian, even though his name is Spanish for "boy".  For some reason, the Santa Fe  Railroad company borrowed a little from both cultures, mixing Mexican and Native American nomenclature at any whim, like with the popular Super Chief and El Capitan routes.

First known as the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF), the rail line had humble beginnings in 1854,  heading west from Atchison, Kansas, through Colorado, and eventually southward to New Mexico.  At first there was no direct line to Santa Fe; travelers had to switch to a branch line for their final destination.  Eventually, the direct line was completed, the ATSF merged with another line , and the new Santa Fe rail line ran from Chicago to Santa Fe, then on to California by 1899.

As the only rail line traveling through the Southwest, the Santa Fe Railroad capitalized on the unique American landscape and the exposure to Indian and Mexican cultures found there.  Along with the slogan, "Santa Fe All The Way", images of Native Americans were featured in advertising, often commissioned by acclaimed artists.

By the early 1960's the more artistic images had switched to a cartoon style, and thus Chico was born.  As the icon for passenger service, Chico appeared in national ads along with menus, matchbooks, notepads, ashtrays, and other promotional items, even buttons for his "fan club".

As passenger service came to an end, Chico carried on a few more years, promoting shipping services. In this matchcover from a few years later, Chico looks a bit older, now "piggy-backing" a younger brother, most likely a nod to the term for transporting semi-trailers on rail cars.

In 1993, Burlington Northern and Santa Fe began a merger that was completed in 1998, creating BNSF.  Owned by Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway, 49% of US shipping service is carried by BNSF.

Amtrak purchased the passenger service in 1971, and has operated the Chicago to California route, the Southwest Chief, ever since.

Timeline:  Both matchbooks are backstrikes, though the saddle on the older one reads "Travel- Ship Santa Fe".  The saddle on the other only reads "Ship Santa Fe", as the passenger service had ceased by that time.