Just so you get the full picture: drug stores had garden hose.

What a whale of an increase! Because garden hose is such an impulse-purchase thing.

Another company that no longer exists:

Herman and Larry Gering sold the company and its Kenilworth plant to Studebaker-Packard Corp. in June 1959, becoming the Gering Plastics Division of Studebaker-Packard. The Gering Plastics Division was sold to Monsanto Chemical Corporation on December 18, 1961. Monsanto continued to operate Gering until the Kenilworth plant ceased operations on November 30, 1989.

Herman had four years to enjoy the money.