I recently rediscovered The Unofficial Menards Guy Homepage, and immediately put a link to it in my weblog. Seeing this site brought on a flurry of memories from when I was growing up, watching WFLD’s Lunchtime Cartoons after school and having its commercials firmly implanted into my brain.
The Menards Guy is really a guy named Ray who is employed at a Menards, and started doing their TV spots. His fluffy white hair and dark-rimmed glasses matched his slightly-crooked smile and booming, enthusiastic voice. "Save big money… at Menards!" is his calling card.
It ranks up there with great slogans and jingles from my past. First Metropolitan Builders (later First Metropolitan Builders and Carpets… whew!) had a jingle with their name, phone number, and an 80s synth drum beat: "282-8600!" Lincoln Carpets still used their old, old telephone number in their "NAtional 2-9000, NAtional 2-9… thousand!" bit.
But I think the Empire Carpet Guy has endured the most. The legend has it that he was in charge of advertising for Empire back in the 60s (or so). At the last minute the person who was to depict an Empire employee bailed out. So he put on the trademark blue shirt with the embroidered "EMPIRE" patch, and the rest is history. Today the Empire Carpet Guy still dominates the airwaves. The phone number’s jingle is the same, although the phone number has endured the change of Chicago area codes and now, toll-free area codes.
And to think, I could have been storing useful information in my head! -pm
Posted in Television, Movies, and Music
uptown girl June 20, 2008, 2:03 pm
His name was Lynn something. I remember reading an article about him in the 80’s