1950? Macy Supreme Oven - $50 (Valley Cottage NY)

In 1950, Macy's didn't have the heavy nationwide presence it does today, though there was a San Francisco store. Most of its stores were in the East.

I can't see them wanting to pay the freight to ship a re-badged Western Holly product back East, all the way across the country from Western Holly's plant in Culver City, CA (not too far from another factory, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). These were the days when folks on the Left Coast paid different retail prices than the rest of the nation, to offset the freight factor: "Prices slightly higher West of the Rockies" was a frequently-seen phrase in ads of the day. One of Western Holly's advantages in the California market was that its pricing did not include that freight factor.

Since shoppers expected department stores' own-brand merchandise to be lower priced than national brands, I just can't see how this could have been a winning proposition for Macy's.

I am happy to stand corrected if I am wrong. God knows stranger things have happened in American retail.


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Post# 739787 3/6/2014 at 09:29 (3,702 days old) by ken (NYS)
Checkrate/Likes I am not su of the exact date, but this was a fully working oven when I removed from the home. It has a flip up shelf on top and is quite clean inside for its age. The top has a center griddle. Very nice piece. $50 firm. Please email or call Eric 914-260-9513. CLICK HERE TO GO TO ken's LINK on Hudsonvalley Craigslist

Post# 739918 , Reply# 1 3/6/2014 at 18:24 (3,702 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)
Checkrate/Likes That looks like it was probably made by Western-Holly.

Post# 739927 , Reply# 2 3/6/2014 at 18:57 (3,702 days old) by danemodsandy (The Bramford, Apt. 7-E)
Checkrate/Likes *Maybe a Copy....* In 1950, Macy's didn't have the heavy nationwide presence it does today, though there was a San Francisco store. Most of its stores were in the East. I can't see them wanting to pay the freight to ship a re-badged Western Holly product back East, all the way across the country from Western Holly's plant in Culver City, CA (not too far from another factory, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). These were the days when folks on the Left Coast paid different retail prices than the rest of the nation, to offset the freight factor: "Prices slightly higher West of the Rockies" was a frequently-seen phrase in ads of the day. One of Western Holly's advantages in the California market was that its pricing did not include that freight factor. Since shoppers expected department stores' own-brand merchandise to be lower priced than national brands, I just can't see how this could have been a winning proposition for Macy's. I am happy to stand corrected if I am wrong. God knows stranger things have happened in American retail.

Post# 739956 , Reply# 3 3/6/2014 at 21:33 (3,702 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )
Checkrate/Likes *I agree...it couldnt have been a good business idea..BUT* Its DEFINATELY a Western Holly!

Post# 739983 , Reply# 4 3/7/2014 at 01:53 (3,702 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )
Checkrate/Likes *the oven window....* i like that round oven window!!! it gives it the look of a dryer with the round window in the door. ;o)

Post# 740006 , Reply# 5 3/7/2014 at 07:26 (3,702 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Round Windows on Western Holly Ranges* These were one of the best window designs ever on any range, they were one piece of glass made like a vacuum bottle, not only did they insulate well but it was impossible to get and dirt or other soil on the inside the glass. I also liked the solid plates they had on the burner grates, it made the top burners cook a little more like an electric element, unfortunately like all gas ranges these still could not come close to the cooking power that an electric element puts at the bottom of a pan, where you really want heat when doing stove-top cooking.