Today in History: Minneapolis Surplus Runs an Ad

Exactly fifty years ago, on Friday, April 6, 1956, the Great Minneapolis Surplus Store runs a newspaper ad for its sale the following day, Saturday. 

  Saturday 9 A.M. Sharp 3 Brand New Fur Coats Worth to $100.00
                       First Come First Served $1 Each

One week later, on Friday the 13th, the company will run a second ad,

      Saturday 9 A.M. 2 Brand New Pastel Mink 3-Skin Scarfs
                                  Selling for.$89.50
                    Out they go Saturday. Each … $1.00
         1 Black Lapin Stole Beautiful, worth $139.50 … $1.00
                             First Come First Served

When the store refuses to sell the goods to Morris Lefkowitz, on the grounds that only women customers could by, he’ll sue, leading to Lefkowitz v. Great Minneapolis Surplus Store, Inc., the classic case of advertisement-as-offer.

[Frank Snyder]