Kresge Cart Rescue

[Ameskid]

I was stopping by a former Frisch's Big Boy in Covington, KY today to grab a photo of something at the back of their parking lot.  I stepped down into a ravine to get a better photo, and noticed that among the old tires and shingles dumped in that ravine was an old metal shopping cart.  I went further down to get a closer look, and saw that it wasn't in too bad of condition - some dents and plenty of rust, but still in one piece.  I couldn't make out any name on the plastic handle.  A bit of wiggling around revealed that it wasn't too deep underground, and that it was a pretty small cart as well.  After clearing out the leaves and dirt, I took a look at the metal frame and saw that it had come from S.S. Kresge originally!  Needless to say, the cart made it back up the embankment, and into the back of my car.  I hope to clean it up a bit this weekend and work on getting those rusted-solid wheels rolling again.

For those keeping store at home, this cart most likely came from the Kresge location at 624 Madison Avenue in Covington - it appears that there was only one store in town.  Not sure when that location closed.

[TheFugitive]

Frisch's Big Boy not doing well, eh?  Sorry to hear that.  There was an Elias Bros. Big Boy across the street from my Ames store in Imlay City, Michigan.  Ate way too many meals there.  Sort of miss it.

[Retail Regents]

I was stopping by a former Frisch's Big Boy in Covington, KY today to grab a photo of something at the back of their parking lot.  I stepped down into a ravine to get a better photo, and noticed that among the old tires and shingles dumped in that ravine was an old metal shopping cart.  I went further down to get a closer look, and saw that it wasn't in too bad of condition - some dents and plenty of rust, but still in one piece.  I couldn't make out any name on the plastic handle.  A bit of wiggling around revealed that it wasn't too deep underground, and that it was a pretty small cart as well.  After clearing out the leaves and dirt, I took a look at the metal frame and saw that it had come from S.S. Kresge originally!  Needless to say, the cart made it back up the embankment, and into the back of my car.  I hope to clean it up a bit this weekend and work on getting those rusted-solid wheels rolling again.

For those keeping store at home, this cart most likely came from the Kresge location at 624 Madison Avenue in Covington - it appears that there was only one store in town.  Not sure when that location closed.

It could also be an early Kmart unit, as some of the older ones had the Kresge name on the bottom plate. I believe that number next to the KRESGE name is the cart's model no (it's an older United Steel & Wire product, and those older ones had the model no. stamped twice). Were you able to clean it and/or get any name off the plastic seat flap?