It was Akron-area dairy owner J.J. Lawson who started the Lawson's Milk Co.
in 1939, when he opened a small store at his dairy on Broad Street in Cuyahoga
Falls.
Over the next 20 years, Lawson's grew into a chain of stores throughout
Ohio. In 1959, Lawson sold his stores to Consolidated Foods, which later was
renamed Sara Lee Corp.
(Akron Beacon Journal, 13jan09, http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/37506579.html )
1970s commercial pirated from youtube.com, volume up? click that big play BUTTON
this is a different story than the link above, that story is about Lawson's in Japan (today....)
from the Akron Beacon Journal, the memory spark:
Lisa Abraham:
Lawson's memories roll on
Story about shops still operating in Japan brings back many fond recollections in Akron area
By Lisa Abraham Beacon Journal food writer
POSTED: 11:56 a.m. EST, Feb 24, 2009
Thanks to you, dear readers, I'm still humming the words to ''Roll on, Big O.''
When I decided about a month ago to tell you about Lawson's stores that were still operating in Japan, I could have never imagined the wave of nostalgia that would sweep across the Akron area, into my e-mail box and onto my phone line.
Behold the power of a tub of chip dip.
I didn't have a single message that wasn't full of warm feelings for the store that gave us our chipped chopped ham, ice cream and potato chips, with, of course, Lawson's Chip Dip.
I have to admit to sharing some of the same wistful feelings that so many readers expressed over the long-gone dairy store chain that started in Cuyahoga Falls. I know it's been gone for 25 years, but I still feel a tug on my heart when I see that familiar milk jug sign that used to be a fixture on what seemed like every corner in Northeast Ohio.
My most vivid Lawson's memory was going there with my dad, brother and sister when Lawson's would put its half-gallons of ice cream on sale. My dad would let each of us pick out our own flavor to take home and we'd always bring home butter pecan for my mother.
I am not alone.
''I miss seeing that big old blue sign with the white bottle on it. Those were good, happy, simple days,'' one reader wrote, after detailing the trips she made to the Arlington Road Lawson's with her brothers.
Many of you were quite good at finding old pop bottles to return, particularly when Lawson's was running a special on such things as its frozen ice pops, which sold for essentially the same nickel deposit that you got back on those pop bottles.
I heard from the man whose father painted the original milk jug sign on top of Lawson's Broad Boulevard dairy in Cuyahoga Falls.
One reader chastised me for not pointing out that founder J.J. Lawson, who started the milk company in 1939, was the first person to market milk in a glass gallon jug. Now you all know.
Many readers shared photos of their trips to Japan, where the touristy thing to do (if you are from the Akron area) is to take your picture in front of one of the 8,000 or so Lawson stores that operate there.
I've seen lots of vacation photos, and since you've all checked: No, they do not sell the chip dip at the Japanese Lawson's. It is, however, still sold at local Circle K stores.
And then there's that jingle.
''Roll on, Big O-o-o-o'' — the song that now haunts the corners of my mind.
