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Comics Revue Covers
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Keefe’s Men’s Wear
Miracle Mile History
In 1950 the firm of Sheldon-Thomas, Inc. bought the land from W.M. Livingston (Minneapolis) and S.F. Carmean (St. Louis Park) and requested a permit to build a 14-store shopping center, estimated to cost around $1 million. The plan was presented to the Village Council by a Phillip Neville. Despite a petition against the plan signed by 425 residents presented to the Village Council by attorney Hyman Edelman, the permit was granted on July 20, 1950. The subject of the objection was a 50-ft. driveway into Wooddale Avenue that was originally supposed to be part of a 100-ft. buffer strip between commercial and residential zoning. The President of Sheldon-Thomas was identified as Charles M. Redman (d. November 1, 1959).
Excerpt from Miracle Mile History
Keefe’s Men’s (and Students) Wear
5301 Miracle Mile: 1951-67.
This store (with W.T. Grant) was the second to open after Warner Hardware in June 1951. It was originally called John Keefe, Inc. Mr. Keefe, a graduate of the U of M, was described as having 20 years in the clothing business, the most recent at the New York office of the Dayton Company. He had also been associated with the Varsity Shop and Maurice L. Rothschild. The store was 20 ft. wide and 100 ft. deep, the last 40 ft. being storeroom space. The interior was decorated by Weidt Associates in white and pastels. In 1958 you could rent a tux for prom.
Excerpt from Miracle Mile Tenants.
I remember going with my Dad and Mom on shopping trips to the store. While it was open, it was the only store my Dad bought his clothes at. I remember being very proud to see the Keefe name on the sign.
-Dinah Keefe
Our family visited the store on our visit in 1958, the first I can remember. The time before that was 1951 when I was only two years old. When we visited in 1958 it was called Keefe’s Men’s Wear. Byrne and John were both there. That was also the visit when your dad took the three of us and at least a couple kids from your family on a boat ride in a motorboat he borrowed from a friend. That was our first time in a motorboat so it was pretty exciting! My parents were probably delighted to get a few hours of free time without the kids!
-Peter Whittredge
I remember the store and the display window. I was born in 1950. We moved from 51st and Sheridan to Ashley Road in 1956. The drive from Ashley to the store, on Excelsior Blvd was single laned and canopied by elm trees on both sides of the road. The phosphates at the counter in Snyder’s were tasty. Later I “manned” the floor at the store, worked for both my Dad and Uncle Byrne, bought cigarettes at Snyders for 27 cents a pack, and found that girls my age tended to work at the dry cleaner’s a couple of doors down.
-Danny Keefe
Ahh, memories! I worked in the store, too. Father’s Day was especially fun -all those ties! And wrapping them in paper. I don’t think I worked there after Byrne joined. I think I was living in Washington.
-Mary J Keefe
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A Sally Forth Thanksgiving
My tenure as solo artist on Sally Forth started in 2013. Here’s a quick look back at Thanksgiving day strips from then to now.
To see the strips larger, just click on ’em.
Unabashed plug time.
For more Sally Forth, just head on over to Comics Kingdom.
Subscriptions available for only $2.99 a month.
– Free trial period –
Includes all of King Features comics along plus ten years+ worth of archives for every strip – an incredible savings!
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Shout Out to Jerry Craft
Spotlight on writer/illustrator Jerry Craft!
Jerry is an African American Literary Award winner (five times no less) and cofounder of the Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival.
In addition to his numerous graphic novels and books he’s illustrated, Jerry is also the creator of the acclaimed comic strip Mama’s Boyz.
Jerry and I go back a ways. We met at King Features Syndicate back in the 1990s when we both worked in the King Features Comic Art Department.
And here’s a more recent pic. Jerry is one of those friends where even if you don’t see them for awhile you can just pick up from where you left off the last time you met.
Jerry has put Easter Eggs in his books for my family (like naming a character in one of his graphic novels after my daughter Tessa). And here’s me returning the favor in the July 8, 2018 Sally Forth Sunday page where the Forth family is at a comic convention.
Note the Mama’s Boyz banner on the back wall in panel 5.
And last but not least an unabashed plug for Jerry Craft’s latest graphic novel, New Kid.
It’s the story of seventh grader, Jordan Banks. He’s the new kid in school at a prestigious private school far from the neighborhood he grew up in. And as if navigating a new school isn’t tough enough, Jordan also just happens to be one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.
June 2020 Update:
Since my original post, Jerry’s book New Kid has gone on to win the prestigious Coretta Scott King Book Award and The John Newbery Medal! The award ceremonies with Jerry’s acceptance speeches are linked to below.
Jerry Craft wins the Coretta Scott King
Book Award for New Kid!
Jerry Craft’s graphic novel New Kid
wins 2020 Newbery Medal!
From The Comics Beat.
“The major award in libraries is the John Newbery Medal for “the most distinguished American children’s book published the previous year”. This year, Jerry Craft won for his graphic novel New Kid. Other graphic novels had previously received honor citations in this category, but this is the first time a graphic novel has won the medal outright, awarded for the best literary work, as a book, not as a graphic novel or illustrated work. It won because of the story presented, which just happened to be told in words and pictures.”
Congrats to Jerry!
Richard James Keefe
November 19, 1925 – October 15, 1992
Military History
Enlisted 17 May 1943 to accept an appointment from St. Thomas Military Academy to Infantry Officers’ Candidate School. Reported for Active Duty on 18 Dec. 1943 with rank of Corporal. Was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry, at Fort Benning, Ga., 23 May 1944. Served as Rifle Platoon Leader and Executive Officer with Company I, 304th Infantry, 76th Division, in the United States for six months and in the European Theatre of Operations for eight months. Participated in Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe Campaigns. Was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valor. Was promoted to 1st Lieutenant during combat in April 1945.
Served with the 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry, 1st Division, at the war trials in Nürnberg , Germany. Served as Headquarters Company Commander, 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry, and motor officer for the International Military Tribunal. Was promoted to the rank of Captain in August 1946, and was separated at Fort Dix, New Jersey on 14 October 1946.
Awards:
Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, American Campaign Medal, European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal – with 3 battle stars, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Reserve Medal.
Army Reserve:
Joined the Army Reserve in 1947 and was assigned to the 409th Infantry Regiment, 103rd Division. Served as Regimental Motor Officer, Infantry Regiment, 103rd Division. Served as Regimental Motor Officer, Assistant Regimental Plans and Training Officer, Regimental Plans and Training Officer, and Regimental Supply Officer.
Short Tours of Active Duty while in Reserve:
Active duty training with Minnesota Senior Army Instructor, Fort Snelling, 13 June 1949. Satisfactorily completed Amphibious Warfare Indoctrination Course, U.S. Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, Calif., from 11 Sept. 1949 to 26 Sept. 1949. Satisfactorily completed the Infantry School Associate Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Class #3, Fort Benning, Ga., from 2 April 1951 to 29 July 1951.
Reserve Activities:
Attended weekly Reserve meetings on Tuesday Nights in addition to a two-week tour of duty every year, usually the last two weeks of August.
Appointed Reserve Commissioned Officer grade of Major in the Army of the United States on 6 September 1955.
Appointed Reserve Commissioned Officer grade of Lieutenant Colonel in the Army of the United States on 5 September 1962.
Richard Keefe retired with the grade of Lieutenant Colonel.
For More info from WWII go to Company I
Obituary from 1992
Richard J. Keefe, age 66, of Golden Valley. Survived by wife, Dolores; daughter & son-in-law, Julianne & Kyle Jenson; sons and daughters-in-law, Michael & Elizabeth, Paul & Jodie, Timothy & Diane; sons, Thomas, James, Nicholas, Gregory; 15 grandchildren; sister, E. Patricia & husband, Donald Whittredge; brothers and sisters-in-law, J. Byrne & Helen and David & Peggy Keefe, and nieces & nephews. Preceded in death by brother, John and sister, Mary Keefe; sons, baby twin boys Keefe.
Member of Serra Club of Hennepin-Twin Cities, American Society for Quality Control, and Retired Officers Club. Life member of Reserve Officer Association. Active in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Good Shepherd School, and Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School.
Funeral Monday, 9:30 am from Gearty-Delmore Robbinsdale Chapel, 39th & W. Broadway, and Mass of Christian Burial 10 am at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 145 Jersey Ave. S. Interment Ft. Snelling. Friends may call 4-7 pm Sunday. Prayer Service 5 pm Sunday. Memorials preferred to Good Shepherd Parish or Hospice Program at North Memorial Medical Center.
Pictures
