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Year End Clearance Sales - 100 Years Ago

Between December 26 and January 2, 1911, stores in San Diego slashed prices.

CLOTHING. Smith's Clothes for Men, at 858 Fifth, offered $15.00 suits and overcoats for $11.25. Thirty dollar outfits for $23.75 ("blues and blacks not included").

Marston's, at Fifth and C, had its men's department on the third floor, where you could buy trousers on sale for $1.95. The women's department, on the second floor, offered trimmed hats for $2.50, along with "many lots of silks and dress goods and linings at wonderfully little prices."

Holzwassers, at Sixth and Broadway, held a "Father Time Clean-up Sale." Tailored women's suits - formerly $20 and $22.50 - went for $10. Five dollar Messaline silk waists ("waists you would say are unusual") cost $2.45. Petticoats cost $1.95. Kimonos in the newest patterns, made of fleeced velour - 95 cents. And $35 high grade suits? "Along comes Father Time and insists they must go" for $13.95.

S.M. Bingham's Boston Store, at Fifth and C, had a "holiday clean up of Odds and Ends": men's neckware - a "25 cent value at 15 cents"; ladies' hand-made wool slippers, $1.00; gingham kitchen aprons, 25 cents. And all-wool sweaters for children, 78 cents.

The Lion ("San Diego's Leading Clothiers") at Fifth and E: "America's finest ready-to-wear apparel offered at Big Sacrifice": Chesterfield and Society Brand suits and overcoats now $26.25 ("blues and blacks not included"). Dress shirts: were $1.50; now $1.15 (they had 100 available: pleated or plain, in madras, percale, oxford, or chambray). The store would stay open until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday which, among other things, would help illuminate the street speakers outside on Heller's Corner of "Soapbox Row."

FOOD Heller's was across the street from The Lion. "Heller's Corner," the center of Soapbox Row, got its name from one of the the most successful grocery stores in San Diego. It became so popular that Mathias Heller ended up owning 42. "The Dependable Store" didn't lower prices for the New Year. It had a reputation for quality foods - "tender meat, nice dressed chicken, the finest bakestuff that money can buy" - always for reasonable prices.

FURNITURE

At John Chanter's, just down the street, Pacific oak dressers, with large bevel plate mirrors, were going for $9.75. A Venus Martin brass bed, $14.60. A reed rocker, $9.20. A regular oak rocker, sturdy as they come with an upholstered seat, $5.85.

CARS

Ford built 40,000 Model T's in 1911. The company planned 75,000 for 1912. To make room for the newer models, the Ford Automobile Agency, at 1132 First Street, was selling the Model T Touring Car - completely equipped, with speedometer, brass windshield, two six-inch gas lamps, three oil lamps, horn, and tools - for $765. "The cheapest to own and maintain," the agency announced, "because it contains fewest parts of all 4-cylinder cars, therefore less material and labor to pay for in buying." A completely equipped Model T Torpedo, without all the accessories, went for $665.

REAL ESTATE

Lots in Encanto Heights, five and a half miles from downtown, but only a six cent commuting fare, sold for $200 "on easy terms."

Beach front property varied. Depending on available transportation, lots began around $250.

The Broderick-West Land Company offered a "modern, five-room cottage, located in a good neighborhood, on a high, level, 35-foot lot, the house complete in every respect, with gas electricity, and sewers." The ad doesn't say where, but promises "a home, such as you have always wanted." The price: $1350.00. The terms: $250 down, $20 per month.

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Between December 26 and January 2, 1911, stores in San Diego slashed prices.

CLOTHING. Smith's Clothes for Men, at 858 Fifth, offered $15.00 suits and overcoats for $11.25. Thirty dollar outfits for $23.75 ("blues and blacks not included").

Marston's, at Fifth and C, had its men's department on the third floor, where you could buy trousers on sale for $1.95. The women's department, on the second floor, offered trimmed hats for $2.50, along with "many lots of silks and dress goods and linings at wonderfully little prices."

Holzwassers, at Sixth and Broadway, held a "Father Time Clean-up Sale." Tailored women's suits - formerly $20 and $22.50 - went for $10. Five dollar Messaline silk waists ("waists you would say are unusual") cost $2.45. Petticoats cost $1.95. Kimonos in the newest patterns, made of fleeced velour - 95 cents. And $35 high grade suits? "Along comes Father Time and insists they must go" for $13.95.

S.M. Bingham's Boston Store, at Fifth and C, had a "holiday clean up of Odds and Ends": men's neckware - a "25 cent value at 15 cents"; ladies' hand-made wool slippers, $1.00; gingham kitchen aprons, 25 cents. And all-wool sweaters for children, 78 cents.

The Lion ("San Diego's Leading Clothiers") at Fifth and E: "America's finest ready-to-wear apparel offered at Big Sacrifice": Chesterfield and Society Brand suits and overcoats now $26.25 ("blues and blacks not included"). Dress shirts: were $1.50; now $1.15 (they had 100 available: pleated or plain, in madras, percale, oxford, or chambray). The store would stay open until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday which, among other things, would help illuminate the street speakers outside on Heller's Corner of "Soapbox Row."

FOOD Heller's was across the street from The Lion. "Heller's Corner," the center of Soapbox Row, got its name from one of the the most successful grocery stores in San Diego. It became so popular that Mathias Heller ended up owning 42. "The Dependable Store" didn't lower prices for the New Year. It had a reputation for quality foods - "tender meat, nice dressed chicken, the finest bakestuff that money can buy" - always for reasonable prices.

FURNITURE

At John Chanter's, just down the street, Pacific oak dressers, with large bevel plate mirrors, were going for $9.75. A Venus Martin brass bed, $14.60. A reed rocker, $9.20. A regular oak rocker, sturdy as they come with an upholstered seat, $5.85.

CARS

Ford built 40,000 Model T's in 1911. The company planned 75,000 for 1912. To make room for the newer models, the Ford Automobile Agency, at 1132 First Street, was selling the Model T Touring Car - completely equipped, with speedometer, brass windshield, two six-inch gas lamps, three oil lamps, horn, and tools - for $765. "The cheapest to own and maintain," the agency announced, "because it contains fewest parts of all 4-cylinder cars, therefore less material and labor to pay for in buying." A completely equipped Model T Torpedo, without all the accessories, went for $665.

REAL ESTATE

Lots in Encanto Heights, five and a half miles from downtown, but only a six cent commuting fare, sold for $200 "on easy terms."

Beach front property varied. Depending on available transportation, lots began around $250.

The Broderick-West Land Company offered a "modern, five-room cottage, located in a good neighborhood, on a high, level, 35-foot lot, the house complete in every respect, with gas electricity, and sewers." The ad doesn't say where, but promises "a home, such as you have always wanted." The price: $1350.00. The terms: $250 down, $20 per month.

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