The smiling, bespectacled Handy Andy pitchman made his debut 98 years ago, when the first store in what would become a popular grocery chain opened its doors.
Brothers A.L. and E.C. Becker opened San Antonio’s first Handy Andy at 1716-18 Broadway on April 2, 1927 . The grand opening followed heavy promotion in local newspapers.
The company took out a two-page ad in the April 1, 1927, edition of the San Antonio Evening News that touted the store’s vast inventory of name brands, a unique feature for grocers at the time. The store was a consumer’s friend, the ad boasted, promising to save customers time and money…