If you could bring back one discontinued product, what would it be?

[Super Amputee Cat]

Products are discontinued all the time. Toys, car lines, menu items, soda types, etc. I would not be surprised if 80% of all new items introduced in the market each year are discontinued within five years.

A lot of stuff I liked as a child or young man is long gone. I am thinking of soft drinks in particular here. Remember Teem and Fanta Orange?

I guess if I could bring one thing back it would be this great tasting beverage called 7-UP Gold. Introduced during the Soda-Juice craze of the late 1980s, it was 7-Up with a slight cinnamon/sassafras taste. I drank the stuff in droves. I remember going to the grocery store and getting whole cases of the stuff.

Evidently no one else did, for it was pulled off the shelves by 1989, at least in our market. Man I miss that stuff. Now, 15 years later, I only have a small glimpse of what it used to take like.

I also miss Fanta Ginger Ale. It was always the rarest of the Fanta flavors and hard to find even back in the 1970s. It was discontinued in the Toledo market in 1988. I remember going to the grocery store and buying about six cases of the stuff when it was selling for 79c a six pack on closeout.

What discontinued product would you like to see make a comeback?

 

[JNL]

2 things (I'm greedy)

The Body Shop's Ananya Body Lotion
The Body Shop's Seaweed Shower Gel

I just loved the smell of these products. Was very upsetting when they discontinued them.

I still have tiny amounts of each left - don't want to use them up or I won't be able to smell them any more!

Is that weird?

 

[SkeLeton]

You guys had Fanta up there? For your pleasure SAC; we still have it, and it's the main fake orange soda kids drink here.
Coca-Cola has the main market share here, and they produce and bottle Fanta orange (not the Ginger Ale though) here. Then comes Pepsi and at the end the little producers that sell cheap soda; a market share that has been expanding lately, nibbling from the Coke and Pepsi market shares...

I was disapointed years ago because Cherry Coke didn't get a hold in the Chilean market and it was discontinued, the bad thing was that before it got discontinued, the boys were sure fooling around with the recipie. One can could be just like regular coke, the other could taste like cough syrup.

What happened to that Sprite with mint or something like that? I heard it was a total downer in the US (heard that it was gross). And it never came here, and considering that our soda market is very conservative, no weird taste catch up.

 

[JNL]

SkeL they've just brought back Cherry Coke over here... shame I'm not your Secret Santa

 

[Chet]

Pretty much in this order...

1) Diet Apple Slice soda. It rocked.

2) Trojan XXXL's. Say no more.

3) Yugo

EDIT: 4) JARTS! I almost killed a cab-driving a-hole uncle when I was 12, and all the relatives keep prodding me that it should have...

 

[JNA]

Ski lift tickets less than $25.
Scott ski boots - best pair of ski boots I ever had!

 

[El Feo]

Any discontinued product?

I want these mass-produced again. And while I'm wishing, I want the price to be low:

 

[Cardinal]

Meet the Blue Pike. It once lived in Lake Erie and was even commercially fished, but became extinct in the 1960's. Legend has it that it tasted even better than lake perch.

 

[prudence]

One word...JARTS.

 

[el Guapo]

Legal Full Auto Machine Guns for Children - I love this country!

The sweet ozone layer destroying stray cat harassing Lark M19-A BB Gun Machine Gun.

This bad boy used cans of The evil Chlorofluorocarbon R-12 FREON to push 3000 bb's a minute down a very smooth and loose barrel. I could buy three cans of Freon, 10,000 bbs and a case of beer for $20.00 in the early 80's. Can you even envision having that much fun on a Saturday night with your pants on? It truly sounded great when shot against picket fences, stray cats and old cars.

 

[ilikefish0]

Several (alright, quite a few) years ago, the jell-o people had these popsicles that I loved. Noy the pudding pops, mind you, these were fruit flavored. A box contained an assortment of orange, strawberry, and (my favorite) raspberry. Every once in awhile, I'll still get a big craving for them. Has to be about ten years since I last saw them. How sad discontinuation is.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Kellogg's Concentrate cereal, in the little gold foil box. Not only was it great by itself, it was heavenly when sprinkled on cocoa crispies, sugar smacks, or sugar pops. I even sprinkled it on coffee ice cream - mmmm. Kellogg's discontinued it about 15 years ago.

 

[Dan]

Just one? Well, other people said Jarts, and later on someone will probably admit that they really liked New Coke, so I'll take ...

Heathkits!

Sure, it cost more to buy a Heathkit stereo, television or amateur transceiver and assemble it yourself than to buy the already-assembled equivalent in a store, but it was a hell of a lot more fun, and it gave you something to do on winter nights when you didn't want to leave the house.

 

[donk]

Based on my one "girlie" thing, soaps. I wish you could still get Kappus Adventure soap. I bought 2 cases (24 bars) when the store told me that the company was no longer shipping that scent to Canada.

For JNL try Lush. They have a good seaweed soap and many others.

Other products I like that are no longer available

Sandman Mystery Theatre Comics
Cerebus comics in 3 months
Panaracer Smoke Lite Comp 1.9 kevlar beaded tires
Selle Italia Turbomatic Saddle
Selle Italia Flite saddle with no junk saver features


What are these JARTS you speak of?

 

[Tom R]

products

Pre-McPhereson Struts, pre-electronic ignition VW Beetle. I'll go as far back as the 6 volt, no gas gauge models. A shade tree mechanic's dream car!

 

[Dan]

What are these JARTS you speak of?

Lawn darts. The sport of kings. Now as legal as the other "sport of kings", cockfighting. They were banned in the US in 1988, and it's illegal to own or sell them. Strange ... it's okay to own an arsenel of AK-47s, but lawn darts and five gallon (25 liter) toilets are illegal.. God Bless America.

Like Fanta, you can still find jarts in Mexico. They're also legal in Canada. There are a lot of on-line marchants in the UK selling them, but they won't ship them to the US.

 

[boiker]

how about nuprin?

nuprin... little........yellow.....different....

how could a product like this fail!

 

[jmf]

Two things:

Junket Pudding - rennet tablets, I think you can still get them in some places

timers for outdoor lights operated by indoor wall switches - maybe someone still makes them but we can't find them around here -

 

[Dan]

From Consumer Reports:

Sonic Blaster, 1966

The Mattel Agent Zero M Sonic Blaster 5530 fires compressed air with a deafening blast. Our measurements top out at 157 dB-above a level that can do permanent damage to the hearing of an adult. We rate the toy Not Acceptable.

 

[mendelman]

Dinosour Eggs
- a Wonka candy that I haven't seen anywhere since about 1989.

Full-size station wagons
(No, the Chrysler Pacifica is not a true full-size wagon)

 

[Rumpy Tunanator]

Meet the Blue Pike. It once lived in Lake Erie and was even commercially fished, but became extinct in the 1960's. Legend has it that it tasted even better than lake perch.

Legend has it that it was spotted in Lake Erie two years ago, although these might just be rumors from the science community.

-I wish they still had Hi-C Ecto-cooler, that orange tasting stuff with Slimer on the box.

 

[Tranplanner]

I would bring back pop (soda, cola, whatever) in returnable/refillable glass bottles.

 

[statler]

OK Soda

I don't believe this ever got a wide release, but Boston was lucky enough to be a test market for the stuff. I don't think I even cared very much for the drink itself but it had what was probably the best marketing campain I've ever seen, before or since.
OK Soda

 

[donk]

Dan, that looks like one mighty nice potato gun.

 

[donk]

I would bring back pop (soda, cola, whatever) in returnable/refillable glass bottles.

Just visit PEI, all refillable all the time. PITA.

I've actually paid more in deposits for the bottlethan the contents of the bottle.

 

[Wannaplan?]

Cerebus comics in 3 months

Technically, Cerebus won't be discontinued - Sim will still publish the phone books, right?

 

[martini]

4) JARTS! I almost killed a cab-driving a-hole uncle when I was 12, and all the relatives keep prodding me that it should have...

And I'll be the third on that one. I still have mine! but they're at my best man's house down in Springfield IL. Gotta get those back up here...

Things I also miss:
Suntour XC-Pro thumbshifters
Titec 2" rise Ti Handlebars
beta tapes(ok, not really)
Blinky ball~a toy we found for our dog once but can't find anywhere now. He LOVES that ball.

 

[Planderella]

New Coke
























NOT!!!!!!

 

[donk]

Technically, Cerebus won't be discontinued - Sim will still publish the phone books, right?

I'd assume yes, but having most of the comics already, there is no need to buy the phone books.

Martini, if you need beat tapes let me know, my father has a stash of them, NIB. (Seriously). You could always spring for custom moots bars (cha ching)

 

[Queen B]

I can't remember the name of them but here is the description.
Yellow, twinky like cream filled cake with rasberry filling strip on top coated in chocolate.

I have found some but they tasted horrible. Some things have just changed in taste, that sucks.

There is a cleaning compound made by Faberware that I found once at an outlet store that is non abrasive and will clean anything better than comet or ajax. I bought three cases of it as soon as I saw how well it worked. Talk about saving body lotion for the smell. I am very stingy with this and only use it on my toughest cleaning jobs.

Sick, sick , sick.... I know...............

 

[Jen]

Pop rocks and candy cigarettes

and leg warmers, I really liked those things!

And Donk I am so excited,my huge LUSH order is on its way, took advantage of the free shipping offer and bought 100 bucks worth of product, massage bars, olive oil soap, truckles, bubble bars bath ballistics and bunches of other goodies oh boy!

 

[Seabishop]

Atari 2600 - especially with Phoenix and River Raid

Those weird radios shaped like a ring that would open up. I don't know what the point of them was.

Fudgetown Cookies

 

[biscuit]

Jolt Cola.
My mom would pack one with my lunch whenever I would go on a class field trip back in elementary school. Why she would want to torture the teachers and chaperones like that, I'll never know...


old Transformers toys from the '80s
These bad boys rocked. Made back in the day when action figures and toy robots were made of metal, not pansy safety plastic, and launched sharp projectiles. It's not a real toy unless you can injure yourself or a friend while playing with it.

 

[NHPlanner]

Jolt Cola.

My mom would pack one with my lunch whenever I would go on a class field trip back in elementary school. Why she would want to torture the teachers and chaperones like that, I'll never know...

Still can buy that around here at many convenience stores. Still tastes like crap.

 

[donk]

old Transformers toys from the '80s
These bad boys rocked. Made back in the day when action figures and toy robots were made of metal, not pansy safty plastic, and launched sharp projectiles. It's not a real toy unless you can injure yourself or a friend while playing with it.

The miracle of Ebay . Only $905 as of now, and the reserve is not met yet.

 

[martini]

donk, I was totally kidding about the beta stuff. My parents not exactly what you'd call technophobes, but they ain't on 'top' of it either. I've looked into custom bars, but the cost is just too much for my wallet(its already too thin).

$905 for a toy? people are nuts I tell ya.

 

[Planner Groupie]

Atari definitely

I loved those pictures you had to stare at to see the hidden picture within too!

 

[ludes98]

old Transformers toys from the '80s
These bad boys rocked. Made back in the day when action figures and toy robots were made of metal, not pansy safety plastic, and launched sharp projectiles. It's not a real toy unless you can injure yourself or a friend while playing with it.

I'll second the metal toys. I actually have quite a few boxed up from my childhood. Saving them for our future kids regardless of safety.

We have local rare soda shop for you junkies. One of like five that sells the rare stuff online. http://www.popsoda.com/ They don't have Fanta Ginger Ale, but they do have Fanta Orange Dutch (from Holland) Yummy. They also sell the orignal Dr.Pepper with pure imperial cane sugar for anyone who remembers this product.

 

[Tom R]

Atari

Atari definitely

I have one that I bought at a yard sale for my kid when he was young enough not to care. A bunch of games too. Highest bidder?

 

[Mastiff]

Lawn darts. The sport of kings.

...and rednecks.

What fun we had with the free range chickens! "A hit! A hit! Honey, get the stew pot ready, we're having chicken for dinner!"

 

[DecaturHawk]

Aurora Plastics Company. The greatest model kit company of all time. When I was a kid, I built the entire monster model line (I still have 'em...even built and painted Aurora monsters bring a good price on eBay). They had a ton of great figure kits, such as James Bond, The Man from UNCLE, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, various animals, prehistoric scenes, etc. They also had lines of more conventional model cars, planes, etc. I think the bad publicity they got in the early '70's from a line of torture chamber models killed the company. There was a hanging cage, a rack, an evil doctor and a buxom victim. Apparently, some felt that these were inappropriate for pubescent boys (like me, at the time). Unbuilt, unopened Aurora kits, especially the ones from the '60's, fetch top prices on eBay. Some of the kits have been reissued by companies like Monogram and Polar Lights, but it's just not the same.

 

[nerudite]

Two things come to mind:

Mother's Cookies used to make this really yummy chocolate covered wafer cookie called "Flaky Flix". I haven't seen them in at least 10 years. (Mother's also makes the best circus animal cookies and yummy oatmeal cookies).

Biore made a great face wash: warming deep pore cleanser with scrubby beads. They still have the pore cleanser but the scrubby beads are gone. Bastards!

 

[GeogPlanner]

PDQ...flavored beads...

used to make this stuff all the time (in milk) and then just eat the mix

 

[SlaveToTheGrind]

Chocolate flavored gum that I think was called double fudge or bubble fudge.

Simple sports cards in wax packs with the stale gum and none of the the stupid sub-series cards.

Schwinn sting ray bikes with the banana seat and big handlebars. MIne was blue.

Fischer price adventure people toys.

 

[Bangorian]

Re: OK Soda

OK Soda

Man I was addicted to that stuff when I was 16!

One time I popped a can, and inside, instead of OK Soda, was a T-shirt!!! (it read "People often envy my special feeling of OK-ness").

Man I miss that stuff.

Jello pudding pops, too.

 

[Bangorian]

Only $905 as of now, and the reserve is not met yet.

Man, I had that one when I was a kid!

 

[H]

Pop rocks and candy cigarettes

Still around, I had both over thankgiving weekend :-D

**we had the candy cigs after our turkey dinner just for fun**

 

[Wannaplan?]

Remember Ayds laxatives? My momma had them when I was boy, in the early 70s, but when the mid 80s came, that whole "Ayds" name must've been associated with a horrible disease.

 

[Super Amputee Cat]

I would bring back pop (soda, cola, whatever) in returnable/refillable glass bottles.

Yeah, I hear you. Drinking Coke or Pepsi out of a real glass bottle did enhanced the flavor more than standard plastic bottles. Plus it always seemed to retain the coldness. Drinking from plastic just isn't the same thing.

Also, returnable bottles were a great sourse of income whenever I needed some extra cash as a kid. When I was seven, our neighborhood was new and there were a lot of houses under construction. When the workers left for the day, we would gather all the discarded soda bottles and take them to the corner carry-out to buy Wacky Packages and candy.

("Bottling " as it was called was a great way for kids to suppliment their meager allowences by hunting for returnables on their own and had the added benefit of reducing litter. Long since extinct, the concept of bottling is totally lost on today's younger generations who are used to having everything handed to them.)

In later years, we would empty out our parents garages of those 8-packs of empty Pepsi bottles to fund bigger purchases like pizza and hamburgers.

Glass returnables disappeared after 1990 in our market, though across the state line in Michigan that carried on a few more years. (I remember seeing some returnable glass coke bottles at gas station in 1992 and being totally floored that they were still available). Also by 1990, even the non-returnable Coke bottles were a thing of the past, leaving only plastic and aluminum.

 

[nerudite]

Remember Ayds laxatives? My momma had them when I was boy, in the early 70s, but when the mid 80s came, that whole "Ayds" name must've been associated with a horrible disease.

My mom used those, but they weren't laxatives, but rather diet supplements/appetite suppressants. I remember eating one when I was a kid and thinking they were quite yummy. There were kind of a cross between a tootsie roll and a brach's square toffee.