Ontario Discount Department Store Car Magnet
7.5'' × 4.5'' / Rectangle / 1 pc
$6.99
Sale price
$6.99
Regular price
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GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Celebrate a memorable name in Ohio shopping history with this Ontario Discount Department Store car magnet. The chain traces its roots to Ontario Super Mart, which served Lorain with a broad range of merchandise in the 1950s. Cook Coffee Co. acquired the nine-store business in 1964, and Ontario later expanded into Ohio cities and Missouri. Its name was dropped in 1981 as stores shifted to other Cook United brands, making Ontario a distinctive chapter for collectors of regional retail history and former shoppers alike.
Ontario began as Ontario Super Mart, a Lorain, Ohio-based retail chain in the 1950s, selling clothing, groceries, hardware, electronics and household goods. In 1964, Cook Coffee Co. of Maple Heights, Ohio, acquired the nine-store chain; the company later became Cook United Inc. Ontario was then operated as Ontario Discount Department Stores alongside several other Cook United retail brands. The chain expanded in Ohio, including into Toledo, and also opened stores in Missouri. By the 1970s, Ontario stores operated in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Dayton. Cook United acquired Clark's Department Stores in 1968, converting some locations to its Cooks name. In 1975, Cook United had 82 stores across its various brands, below its stated sales goal, and announced it would end Ontario operations in Missouri. Ontario had 23 stores at the start of the 1980s. After Cook United acquired Rink's Bargain City in 1981, it dropped the Ontario name in May and converted 19 stores to Rink's or Cooks. Cook United later entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1984 and closed its remaining stores in 1987, then liquidated under Chapter 7.
Ontario Discount Department Store Car Magnet
$6.99
Sale price
$6.99
Regular price
Celebrate a memorable name in Ohio shopping history with this Ontario Discount Department Store car magnet. The chain traces its roots to Ontario Super Mart, which served Lorain with a broad range of merchandise in the 1950s. Cook Coffee Co. acquired the nine-store business in 1964, and Ontario later expanded into Ohio cities and Missouri. Its name was dropped in 1981 as stores shifted to other Cook United brands, making Ontario a distinctive chapter for collectors of regional retail history and former shoppers alike.
Ontario began as Ontario Super Mart, a Lorain, Ohio-based retail chain in the 1950s, selling clothing, groceries, hardware, electronics and household goods. In 1964, Cook Coffee Co. of Maple Heights, Ohio, acquired the nine-store chain; the company later became Cook United Inc. Ontario was then operated as Ontario Discount Department Stores alongside several other Cook United retail brands. The chain expanded in Ohio, including into Toledo, and also opened stores in Missouri. By the 1970s, Ontario stores operated in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Dayton. Cook United acquired Clark's Department Stores in 1968, converting some locations to its Cooks name. In 1975, Cook United had 82 stores across its various brands, below its stated sales goal, and announced it would end Ontario operations in Missouri. Ontario had 23 stores at the start of the 1980s. After Cook United acquired Rink's Bargain City in 1981, it dropped the Ontario name in May and converted 19 stores to Rink's or Cooks. Cook United later entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1984 and closed its remaining stores in 1987, then liquidated under Chapter 7.
| 7.5'' × 4.5'' | |
| Width, in | 7.50 |
| Height, in | 4.50 |
Product features
- 100% vinyl face with matte finish for a muted, non-reflective look
- Black magnetic backing grips metal surfaces and removes cleanly
- All-weather durability—resists rain and sun exposure
- Available in three sizes to fit vehicles, toolboxes, or merch displays
- Printed with Digital-Direct Printing (DDP) for sharp, long-lasting color
Care instructions
- Wipe the dust off gently with a soft, dry cloth.