Another Very Unique Team-Up Promotion

Thornbury's teamed up with Oscar Ewing in a summer ad offering a Thorny Buck on the side of a drink carton. Simply cut out the Thorny Buck to spend at Thornbury's Toys. Oh, don't forget to first finish the carton of juice.

Thornbury's Toys Had All the Fun Toys in the 1960s

Here's a page from a mid-1960s Thornbury's Toys catalog. Shown are Tonka, Nylint, Tru-Scale, Hubley, Structo, and other toy truck brands. Bulldozers, pickers, loaders, bailers, dump trucks, tractors, cement mixers, car carriers, and more; all that was needed for hours and hours of fun was a sandbox or dirt pile. The highest priced one among the group is the Nylint Michigan Shovel at $9.71 - "Steel construction, bucket trips automatically, positive stop winch to raise and lower boom. Cab pivots. Adjustable screw jacks slide out." Below is recent photo of one (or one very similar) plus the original box (from www.liveauctioneer.com):

For more photos of vintage toys, check out the Thornbury's Toys tumblr page too.

Schwinn Bicycles Were a Win for Thornbury's Toys

In 1956, Thornbury's made the move to Schwinn bicycles as more and more customers were requesting them.  This ad, circa 1968, features Trigger Tom as the salesperson and Uncle Jim's daughter and grandson showing off the new bike.

The Guess Who? Show Advertisement from 1962

"Toy Sales SOAR" thanks to the Guess Who? Show.

This is the next part of the flyer advertising the Guess Who? show on WAVE-TV every Saturday morning.

And the last page that touts Thornbury's Toys sales increases in part to the popular TV show.

Thornbury's Toys and Liberty National Bank Worked Together

Liberty National Bank print ad, 1981

Thornbury's Toys grew very slowly in their first location at 117 Breckinridge Lane.  But the St. Matthews parents soon began to ask for more toys in addition to the bikes and wheel goods.  Mr. T. was listening to the requests and answered the need for the most  popular toys. In 1960, the store had turned enough profit to move into one of the most modern shopping centers in the Louisville area.  The shopping center, located at the intersection of Shelbyville Road and Browns Lane, included a Top Value Redemption Store, Riney's Bedding, Liberty National Bank and Thornbury's Toys.  Liberty National Bank and Thornbury's Toys developed a very strong working relationship that lasted for many, many years to come.  The new store with nearly 6000 sq. ft. of floor space increased sales dramatically and more successes were soon to follow.  Thank you Liberty National Bank for believing in us!

The above full-page ad for Liberty Bank appeared in a December 29, 1981, UK basketball program "Wildcat Tipoff: Kentucky vs. Notre Dame." The ad copy reads:

Fun & Games.
And the bank with an open mind.
One of Liberty's best success stories in commercial lending was a man who went into business for the fun of it - Jim Thornbury, president of Thornbury Toys.
Twenty-five years ago, Jim began with a small bicycle shop on Breckinridge Lane. Today, Thornbury's operates ten toy stores in five states.  And Jim will be the first to tell you - it happened because of hard work and one bank that said "yes." Liberty.
Keeping an open mind to businessmen like Jim Thornbury is one of the reason's we're so well known for commercial banking.
Liberty National Bank - We'll go along with you.

According to the Encyclopedia of Louisville by John E. Kleber, Liberty National Bank became Bank One Kentucky, NA, Louisville's oldest continuous financial institution, in 1995 after Bank One Corp. purchased Liberty National Bancorp in 1994.

Image source: University of Kentucky

Fireman Bill Presents Three Great Toys

Fireman Bill is shown in this excerpt from "1964 Thorny Club Official Members Book containing Home-viewers Games on Guess Who! and Toys Sold by Thornbury's Toys". Note in the lower right-hand corner the "Fireman Bill Drawing Set - Play "Guess Who?" at home. Everything you need to draw and trace while your friends "Guess Who?""