You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.When you’re a kid, you think that everything will last forever. You believe that everyone you know and every place you visit will always be there.Then life happens … and things change.Companies that were once a part of our shared experience disappeared one by one. The list is endless: Lawson’s, Gold Circle, O’Neil’s, A&P, Circuit City, Fazio’s, Polsky’s, Red Barn, Sears, Lone Star, Kmart, Kenny King’s, Forest City, Harvest House, Woolworth, Don Pablo’s, Montgomery Ward.You can probably think of a dozen others without blinking.Even if you didn’t go to a place often, it was comforting to know that it was there when you wanted.Sometimes you wish you could go back. MarketBeat, a financial media company, surveyed 3,014 respondents 45 or older to discover which defunct chains that Ohioans would most like to see make a comeback. Crank up the nostalgia machine. Here are the Top 5 results, including summary comments from the survey.
Top 5 brands that Ohioans would like to see return:
1. WALDENBOOKS
Waldenbooks was the dependable mall companion — smaller, cozier and always within reach. It didn’t try to overwhelm you. It just had enough of everything to make a quick visit feel worthwhile. You’d pop in between errands, scan a few shelves and almost always leave with something you hadn’t planned on. It was simple, familiar and easy to return to — the kind of place that quietly became part of your routine without needing to stand out.
2. HOLLYWOOD VIDEO
Hollywood Video was the slightly edgier cousin in the rental world — a bit less polished, a bit more chaotic, but often the place you went when the other store had nothing left. It had that underdog appeal, where you’d stumble across something unexpected simply because your first choice was gone. For a lot of people, it wasn’t just about the movies, but the last-minute pivot, the surprise pick and the feeling that the best find was rarely the one you planned.
3. BORDERS
Borders was more than a bookstore. It was somewhere you could disappear for a while. Bigger, brighter and more open than most, it invited you to wander, sit down and stay longer than you expected. There was no rush, no pressure to buy — just the quiet promise that you might stumble across something interesting if you gave it enough time. In an era of quick clicks and shorter attention spans, that sense of space and possibility is what people miss most.
4. MARSHALL FIELD’S
Marshall Field’s had a sense of occasion that’s hard to replicate. Whether it was the grand interiors, the carefully presented displays or the famous holiday windows, it made shopping feel like something more than a task. It carried an elegance, the kind that didn’t need to shout to be noticed. For many, it wasn’t just a department store — it was part of a city’s identity, a place tied to memories, traditions and a slightly more refined way of doing things.
5. BLOCKBUSTER
Blockbuster didn’t just rent movies — it owned Friday night. It was the place where indecision became a group sport, and you’d spend 40 minutes debating between a new release and something your friend swore was “actually good,” only to panic-grab both. The blue-and-yellow glow, the wall of new releases, the thrill of finding the last copy behind the box — it all felt like an event. Streaming may be easier, but it’s never quite matched the ritual, the anticipation or the low-stakes drama of a Blockbuster run.
Top 5 additions from Mark J. Price
OK, those were the results of a scientific poll. The following selections are from the heart and totally random. Here are five more brands that a nostalgic Beacon Journal reporter wishes would come back.
1. FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OHIO
My first bank! It seemed like Akron could never fail as long as the First National Tower stood tall over downtown. The First Central Trust Co. built the 27-story, art-deco building during the Great Depression in 1930-1931. The financial institution changed its name to First National Bank of Akron in 1947, First National Bank of Ohio in 1985 and FirstMerit Bank in 1995. Columbus-based Huntington Bancshares acquired Akron-based FirstMerit (and its 358 branches) in 2016 and began to consolidate. Huntington Tower, as it’s called now, is mostly empty. A developer has plans. Stay tuned.
2. SOHIO
Remember the red, white and blue signs? Founded by Cleveland businessman John D. Rockefeller, the Standard Oil Co. of Ohio operated from 1870 to 1987. Sohio had strong name recognition in the Buckeye State. We sure were proud of that brand as we filled our tanks with gas for under $1 a gallon. And we took great comfort in knowing that “You go or Sohio pays the tow.” Then the British Petroleum Co. acquired Sohio and changed its logo. It was a jarring experience to watch the red, white and blue give way to BP green in the late 1980s. RIP, Sohio.
3. BURGER CHEF
Incrediburgible! The Indianapolis chain already had 150 restaurants, including 28 in Ohio, when it broke ground in 1961 on Akron’s first location on South Arlington Street. The signature burgers were the Big Shef and Super Shef. In the 1970s, the chain developed the Funburger and Funmeal for kids, an idea that McDonald’s swiped for its Happy Meal. The TV mascots were the portly Burger Chef and his young sidekick Jeff, whose “Incrediburgible!” exclamation became a national catch phrase. Once numbering 1,000 locations, Burger Chef sold to Hardee’s in the 1980s and disappeared in the 1990s. Incredibummer.
4. CAMELOT MUSIC
Browsing the aisles was an adventure. You never knew what you would find, but you would find something. A blacklight poster, a boom box, sheet music, headphones. From vinyl records to cassettes to compact discs, the music spoke volumes. Founded in Massillon in 1956, the chain grew to more than 300 stores. Musicians such as Donny Osmond, Cindi Lauper, Joan Jett and Billy Squier stopped by the corporate headquarters in Jackson Township. Camelot filed for bankruptcy in 1996 and merged with Trans World Entertainment in 1998 to form FYE. Farewell, Camelot.
5. GENERAL CINEMA
You have to feel sorry for kids today. So many of them don’t go to the movies anymore. The movies come to them. Streaming services have replaced yesterday’s multiplexes. General Cinema, founded in 1935 in Massachusetts, brought joy to young lives. It was a thrill to watch a blockbuster movie on a big screen while munching popcorn. Our local theaters included Chapel Hill Mall, Rolling Acres Mall, The Plaza 8 at Chapel Hill and West Market Plaza 7. All are gone. The chain had over 300 theaters at its peak, but filed for bankruptcy in 2000. AMC Theatres swallowed the remaining 66 theaters in 2022. Roll the credits. That’s the end.
What defunct chains would you like to see make a comeback — and why? Email mprice@thebeaconjournal.com or write to Mark J. Price, Akron Beacon Journal, 388 S. Main St., Suite 720, Akron, OH 44309.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Which lost brands do Ohioans want back? | Mark J. Price
Reporting by Mark J. Price, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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