Once, all Bostonians could tell you how many cookies Andrew ate

Roving UHub lensman Greta Gaffin (yes, the erstwhile UHub transcript desk) spotted these signs contiguous successful the backmost of the BU College of Arts and Sciences. Boston Edison and "despatcher" unsocial are capable to day them, but besides announcement 1 of the telephone numbers: Andrew 8-1633.

It's from the days erstwhile section telephone numbers each started with 2 letters - which stood for a longer name, backmost erstwhile phones had rotary dials and each fig (save 0 and 1) had 3 letters associated with them. Today, you'd conscionable dial 268-1633 (well, and you'd person to adhd the country code, too).

Back successful the day, the Andrew exchange, which covered South Boston, was peculiarly known for vigor ads by Adams and Swett, a carpet-cleaning institution that got an Andrew 8 fig erstwhile it moved from Kemble Street successful Roxbury to 380 Dorchester Ave. successful 1957.

How galore cookies did Andrew eat?
Andrew ate 8000.
How bash you support your carpets neat?
Call Andrew 8-8000.

The company, founded successful 1856, exists to this day, present successful Quincy. And it inactive has the aforesaid number, though present it goes by the much boring mentation of 617-268-8000.

Boston Edison, of course, gave mode to NStar and past Eversource.