Our Old School Commercials Part 1/5

‘Look for the red-and-white awning’

Like the goofy charm of Bob and Ed Vidler, Vidler’s 5 & 10, must be experienced to be truly appreciated. Short of visiting Vidler’s, which we hope you’ll do real soon, the best way to experience it may be watching old commercials featuring the East Aurora landmark. So, we’re posting a series of five sets of five classic Vidler’s TV spots showcasing humor ranging from the tongue-in-cheek to the, well, popcorn in cheek. (Ed! Leave some for the kids!) From our family to yours—enjoy!

First of a five-part series

Commercial 1: 10-cent pony rides and hot popcorn!

From the birds chirping in the background to the ‘88 Chevy pickup cruising down Main Street in front of the store to the Vidler Boys humbly introducing themselves, everything about this commercial, the first-ever Bob-and-Ed spot, reminds us why Vidler’s 5 & 10 stands the test of time. It’s timeless.

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Commercial 2: No matter the occasion, it’s Vidler's!

In this classic spot, we see Bob and Ed Vidler, true to form, being the welcoming, funny, and familiar faces greeting those walking through the doors into the magic of Vidler’s 5 & 10! The “Vidler Boys,” as Ed and Bob were known, would become local celebrities with their kooky TV spots.

Commercial 3: ‘We’re on Main Street in East Aurora. And so is the store.’

The subtle humor lurking in this line of Bob’s quietly attests to what’s so great about these videos: There’s much more to them than a single viewing could ever reveal. For such short spots, they’re surprisingly rich in detail. So don’t blink! Those Vidler boys are, indeed, at it again!

Commercial 4: ‘My favorite destination: Vidler’s!’

Here we see Bob giving a group of tourists (one of them played by third-generation Vidler’s co-owner Cliff DeFlyer, making his debut as a one of the bus passengers) a quick rundown of the must-sees in Buffalo, culminating with—you guessed it—Vidler's.  

Commercial 5: Is that two-dimensional Ed or three-dimensional Ed?

Welcome to Vidler’s, a store that, in the context of this commercial, amounted to 15,000 square feet, four buildings, 78,243 items, and two brothers: Bob and Ed, the latter making his entrance by knocking over and then righting his own life-size cutout. That Ed!