Seventy-five years ago this month, there was a clear sense that the war would soon be over, and business as usual would return to Main Street. The June 1945 issue of Radio Retailing offered on its cover this example of Radio Sales Corp., 327 Milburn Ave., Milburn, N.J. The owner, Milton Marks, declared that the dealer with the best sales argument and best-equipped organization would get the business in the competitive postwar market. He further stated that “catch as catch can” merchandising would be catastrophic.

Marks was getting ready to throw his merchandising of radios and appliances into high gear. He kept a priority book of customers who really intended to buy and genuinely needed new appliances, and those customers would get the first shipments in the order received.

His store focused on providing excellent service and honest dealing. He reported spending about $750 per year on newspaper advertising, and an additional $100 on scholastic advertising, which he noted was a builder of goodwill.

As seen in the Google streetview below, the block is still clearly recognizable. In fact, the old Radio Sales Corporation location is currently vacant. Perhaps a modern electronics retailer wants to move in and take advantage of some of that old goodwill.