Miler & Paine Ad

Out of town stores advertised in county papers, back in the day. This ad from 1919 is by Miller & Paine at 13th & O Streets in Lincoln. This ad appeared in the Harvard Courier.

Miller & Paine played "Avis" to Gold & Co.'s "Hertz" during much of their lifetimes. 

(Perhaps the reference is lost on many. In the early car rental days, Hertz was the dominate player with Avis generally bringing up the 2nd place. But Avis weaponized their position with a continuing ad campaign claiming that "We try harder.")

Miller & Paine was the first department store in Lincoln founded in 1880. It was purchased by Dillard's in 1988 when there were three stores: downtown Lincoln, Gateway shopping center and Conestoga Mall in Grand Island. 

Perhaps the only remaining Miller & Paine product is their trademark cinnamon rolls from their basement lunch counter and fifth floor Tea Room. The rights to that recipe was purchased by Sutton-connected Runza in 2007.

And speaking of "Sutton-connected":

This Gold & Co. ad appeared in The Clay County Patriot Newspaper in Clay Center though they often advertised in Sutton papers. William Gold, then known as "Billy" operated his first retail store in downtown Sutton until 1890 when he moved to Lincoln to open a store that became the largest Lincoln department store.

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Just like Miller & Paine, Gold & Co. fell prey to retail consolidation merging with Brandeis of Omaha in 1964 and disappearing in 1980.