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Re: 2014 Orchard Supply Hardware Calendars
Author: Carol L. Voss
Date: 11-17-2013 - 17:47
Curious Easterner Wrote:
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> I live in the East and am never in California when
> the OSH calendars come out. What is so special
> about these calendars? Is the artistic quality of
> the images vastly superior to the other
> commercially available calendars? Is it because
> they are free? A little of both?
Orchard Supply Hardware was founded in 1931 as a farmer cooperative in San Jose CA. Over time, the pres and general manager, Al Smith, introduced the calendars a free giveaway the day after Christmas to bring customers into the store for after xmas sales etc. Al had worked his way through Cal Poly as a brakeman for SP, injuring his foot in the process which made him walk with a limp. Al was a railfan and it was natural that he ask his graphic designer, Mike Kotowski, a railfan and local artist, to design the calendars with the train theme. I believe the calendars started in the '70's. Al had a falling out with Mike in the '80's I believe when Mike was mayor of Campbell and allowed a company called Home Express (not Home Depot, before that) to open in Campbell which Al saw as a major threat to OSH----------so since that time other artists have done the calendar. Interestingly at the 75th anniversary of the founding, which we attended since my
father-in-law was an original investor, Mike was approached by Sears who owned OSH at the time, to do another calendar. Mike and I agreed that Al would claw his way out of his grave if that were to occur!! :-) Unfortunately, they didn't reach an agreement as many of us would like to see Mike do the calendars again. The calendars have varied in quality lately depending on who did them, but this year's is particularly outstanding. But they are always in demand by the railfans.
C.
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> I live in the East and am never in California when
> the OSH calendars come out. What is so special
> about these calendars? Is the artistic quality of
> the images vastly superior to the other
> commercially available calendars? Is it because
> they are free? A little of both?
Orchard Supply Hardware was founded in 1931 as a farmer cooperative in San Jose CA. Over time, the pres and general manager, Al Smith, introduced the calendars a free giveaway the day after Christmas to bring customers into the store for after xmas sales etc. Al had worked his way through Cal Poly as a brakeman for SP, injuring his foot in the process which made him walk with a limp. Al was a railfan and it was natural that he ask his graphic designer, Mike Kotowski, a railfan and local artist, to design the calendars with the train theme. I believe the calendars started in the '70's. Al had a falling out with Mike in the '80's I believe when Mike was mayor of Campbell and allowed a company called Home Express (not Home Depot, before that) to open in Campbell which Al saw as a major threat to OSH----------so since that time other artists have done the calendar. Interestingly at the 75th anniversary of the founding, which we attended since my
father-in-law was an original investor, Mike was approached by Sears who owned OSH at the time, to do another calendar. Mike and I agreed that Al would claw his way out of his grave if that were to occur!! :-) Unfortunately, they didn't reach an agreement as many of us would like to see Mike do the calendars again. The calendars have varied in quality lately depending on who did them, but this year's is particularly outstanding. But they are always in demand by the railfans.
C.
