After losing my job at Ayres, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy finding a new job in graphic design, because everyone was starting to use computers and in 1992, I had no computer skills.
A couple of us artists from Ayres found a computer teacher and took a few private lessons trying to learn what we could.
I updated my resume as well as my portfolio of artwork (commercial pieces as well as fine art) and started the search for a new job.
I applied at the Indianapolis Star and even though the advertising supervisor wanted to hire me, without the computer skills, I was out of luck. On-the-job-training was not really an option. My father-in-law was a photoengraver at the Star and wanted me to work there too. I knew the pay was better than any other art job I could probably find, because of the strong photoengravers union.
I applied at Hook’s, who was only hiring a freelance graphic artist, which meant no benefits and only temporary work. I knew one of the bosses Marti, who worked at Ayr-way with my friend Miki (who was my boss at Ayres) years before. Again I needed at least some computer experience and they said I would have to take a computer test. I knew only enough to be dangerous. In the meantime, they hired another fellow, who only worked a day and quit. They called and asked if I could start on Monday and I asked about the test that I knew I couldn’t pass and they said don’t worry about it.
I sat at a Mac next to the printer, hidden behind a wall. No desk, no file cabinet, no anything — just a ledge on the tiny computer table where a pencil would fit. Everyone had to reach over me to get to the printer. The other 3 artists were nice to me, but I know they must of thought, as I stumbled through the computer programs, how I got hired.
Luckily at the same time they hired an intern (son of the man in charge of real estate for Hook’s), who was a senior at Herron School of Art. He knew everything about the computer and sat right beside me behind that wall. Poor Doug, I bothered him all the time with questions and he was such a good teacher. I wouldn’t let that young man out of my sight, he had all the answers. I was 44 and he was 22. A guy in his Dad’s office started calling me “Mrs. Robinson” and if you’re a baby boomer, no explanation needed, but if not, then watch the 1967 movie The Graduate. Of course, Doug had never seen the movie, until I let him borrow my copy on tape and he didn’t want to go to lunch with me after that.
After a few months, one of the other artists left and I got hired full time with a cubicle and benefits.
Our offices were in the warehouse headquarters of Hook’s that you can see off east I-465 at 30th Street. At the time, it was the biggest warehouse in the state (may still be). They shipped merchandise out to drugstores all over the country. It was so big, they had to put another cafeteria in the far end of the warehouse, because it would take too long to walk to our end of the building. They had golf carts for the bosses to get around.
Our cafeteria had great food. Employees would line up in the hall outside the cafeteria on “fish and rice” day to get some before they ran out. Later they hired a catering company to do the food and it was awful and I told them so. They sent the two original chefs out to the warehouse to handle returns. What a waste of talent. We all said we would pitch in and pay their salary.
Our little advertising department produced all the print advertising for the whole chain, which I think was about 1,200 stores. We’d always say if we made an error in one of the sale catalogues it was seen by 4 million people — yuk!
My immediate supervisor Joe, was a reserve deputy sheriff who would polish all his brass buttons before going out on his shift at night. He was quite a character and we all hung out together, going on breaks and having lunch. It was a really nice place to work.
We had customer contests for Hook’s, just like we do for the Weekly View but multiply the entries by 1,200! Instead of a basket of entries, we had a huge barrel that spun. I remember once they gave away a red convertible and we had so many entries they just had to be put them in a spare room — they just wouldn’t fit in the barrel. Co-worker and good friend, Margie had to open all of the envelopes — talk about paper cuts!
I got to work on all kinds of projects. Of course I did sale catalogues and ads for newspapers, but one year they had me do the Final Four March Madness poster. I remember doing it in a program called Freehand. I had to go in to work on Sunday night when all the line up was announced and I know nothing about sports, so I had to call my boss to find out what the southern section was.
Our Hook’s buyers were on the same end of the building right next to us. They would supply all the merchandise to be photographed in another city. I remember the candy buyer had a big file drawer of candy we could help ourselves to it anytime.
Being in advertising for a big corporation meant free passes to all kinds of events. We got tickets to Pacers games (several per season) with VIP parking, drinks and hors d’oevres. We sat on the floor 4th row watching Reggie Miller dunk all those baskets. Our son was 13 years old and loved getting to go as well as my husband Steve. We got to go to the 500 Mile Race suites too and Indians games.
Remember Jim Gerard who used to have his own TV talk show from 1962 until 1987? He interviewed everyone from Bob Hope to Liberace. He worked in the PR Department at Hook’s while I was there. He was so interesting, that when I would have to go talk to him about ads, I’d tell the others in my office, I’m packing a lunch, because it’s goin’ be a while before I’m back. I could have listened to his stories forever. Most of the young people didn’t remember or appreciate what a talent he was. He came to our family Halloween Party a couple of years in a row and my mother was star struck.
Another benefit of working in a giant warehouse was that when they stopped making the original formula for Ivory Liquid dish washing detergent, (the only thing gentle enough for my mother’s hands with eczema) I could buy the last cases ever made for her. I bought all they had and wrapped it up for her 60th birthday and she was thrilled.
I looked up a little history on Hook’s Drugstore. It was started by pharmacist John A. Hook in a German community at the corner of South East and Prospect in 1900. A second store was added at New Jersey and Washington Streets the next year. He became partners with Edward F. Roesh and by 1912, they had 12 stores. The Vonneguts designed some of their stores. Hook died in 1943 and Roesh in 1956. Then John’s son August “Bud” Hook took over the leadership and the chain grew to 150 stores.
Okay, so here I was working for a drugstore that had been in business almost 95 years and I had just lost a job from Ayres Department store that had been in business 130 years, so what was it — am I a jinx? After only 2 years at Hook’s, we all got called into the Advertising director’s office and I had this awful feeling of what was going to happen. Sure enough, Hook’s was selling out to Revco in Cleveland, and we were all losing our jobs. Everyone was so shocked, but somehow I felt guilty — it was all my fault. My Dad had felt the same way when he worked as a meat cutter, everyone he worked for died.
paula.weeklyview@yahoo.com
Next time – working at H.H. Gregg