We drove to Sears once a year.

Before we could do Easter…
The Saturday before Easter we all drove to Sears in East L A. The place was the main Sears catalogue store at Soto and Olympic. A tall ten-story building just east of the concrete L A River. After arriving and parking My two sisters would go with our mom and my older brother and I would go with our dad. We would meander in and out of through the main floor.
Before we made any serious Easter purchases, we three men would first visit the hardware, appliance, auto part, TV, and sporting goods department. We guys would stop at the appliance department and watch the see-thru door of a dishwasher and watch it spray bubble and foam. Wow, how cool is that! Then down to the vacuumed department where the sales guy had a beachball floating in the air by a blowing stream of air from a vacuum cleaner. Can our Hoover do that? We then would pick up and examine up close all manner of Craftsman tools. Wrenches, socket sets, electric drills, hand saws, crowbars, and others. Do they have a toilet plunger?
My dad seemed to be interested in upholstery material for car seats. Our 1950 Ford sedan and it’s seat covers was becoming a bit worn and needed replacing. Down the way a bit was a real authentic color TV. A 19-inch Sears Silvertone console set with what looked to me as a bit washed out color. Sort of like a fuzzy see-through water color painting. Nearby was a smiling lady playing a Silvertone organ. An organ with two layers of keys and a dozen peddles at her feet. She was playing “How much is that doggie in the window.” My brother then found a Sears Silvertone guitar and strum it’s six strings. Then in the heating and plumbing department were dozens of sinks and faucets along with a full-size working fireplace with tools, screen, and with a real fake fire were all on display.
Then we guys would go down into the store’s basement and look at horse saddles and small cement mixers. I really do like Easter shopping.
However, the shopping was not complete until we all visited the nuts and candy counter. Just to place my hands on the warm display counter glass was reason enough to be drooling at such yummies. All sorts of warm peanuts, cashews, and popcorn. Not to mention stepping over the spilled popcorn on the store floor. But anyway, chocolate peanut clusters were my very favorite.
But the day would end up by buying me and my brother a pair of black lace up shoes and a blue clip-on tie. My sisters would be carrying bags of colorful flowery dresses and boxes of patent leather shoes. Now we were ready for Easter morning church. Happy
Easter.