Photos of Vintage Auto Dealerships, Repair Shops, and Gas Stations
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Rome, NY
Restored and now a museum. H.P. Sears Oil Museum
It was restored by the son of the owner of Sears Oil, who has just recently passed. Howard Sears Obituary (1927 - 2024) - Rome, NY - Mahoning Matters
Not related to Sears and Roebuck, I remember the Sears gas station in Syracuse. It's now gone and a generic Mobil gas station in its place.
Restored and now a museum. H.P. Sears Oil Museum
It was restored by the son of the owner of Sears Oil, who has just recently passed. Howard Sears Obituary (1927 - 2024) - Rome, NY - Mahoning Matters
Not related to Sears and Roebuck, I remember the Sears gas station in Syracuse. It's now gone and a generic Mobil gas station in its place.
Detroit Auto Show
Photographed in 2008 Lafayette, IN
Pinstriping a Pontiac. I've watched this done at a Chrysler plant, it's fascinating to watch. There is a guide fixture that is vacuum mounted to the car body and a Bugler pinstripe tool is pulled along by the worker.
Knoxville, TN
Note Harley Servi-Car motorcycle hitched to the car.
The garage would send out a guy on the Harley to pick up a car and then it would be towed back. Reverse the procedure for delivering a car. Harley-Davidson Servi-Car - Wikipedia
Note Harley Servi-Car motorcycle hitched to the car.
The garage would send out a guy on the Harley to pick up a car and then it would be towed back. Reverse the procedure for delivering a car. Harley-Davidson Servi-Car - Wikipedia
Marienville, PA
New York Worlds Fair.
These are 1966 models (obviously) and the fair ended in October of 1965, so this must have been early fall when the '66 models came out.
These are 1966 models (obviously) and the fair ended in October of 1965, so this must have been early fall when the '66 models came out.
Kalamazoo M
Denver Colorado, ca. 1950's
Big local story behind this one, All the older buildings are gone now, but the business at 110 years old parties on (third generation family of the founder running it.)
Represented to be Colorado's FIRST Ford dealer. Excerpt from link:
"Ten years after American commercial production of automobiles began in 1896, Alfred O’Meara Sr. became employee No. 138 on Henry Ford’s assembly line in Detroit.
By 1913 he had contracted tuberculosis and, like so many TB sufferers, sought to travel west to dry out his lungs. At the time, Ford shipped cars by rail and they were assembled at their destination.
Henry Ford offered him an opportunity to assemble and deliver cars in Colorado. After a few years, he became the first franchise Ford dealer in Colorado."
14th at Broadway, Denver, CO
Other photos of the O'Meara Empire from 1930's-50's. The older buildings above/below were downtown Denver, and again LONG gone.
Modern day version of just one O'Meara location.
Scranton, PA
Still standing with additions. Still has the glass brick around the door!
Still standing with additions. Still has the glass brick around the door!
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Mundy's Corner, PA
New station, you can see the corner of the house in the above pic.
Location now. Not sure how much, if any of the building is left.
New station, you can see the corner of the house in the above pic.
Location now. Not sure how much, if any of the building is left.
Ex- Hudson dealer, 2230 Michigan aAve, Chicago, IL. Built 1928, Spanish revival architecture, limestone & terra cotta facade,75K sq, ft,
Another urban "palace" from the early days, that seems to finally have found a stable alternative usage in a century. Chicago still with an urban population density to suppport reuse investments in these types of properties.
Its nestled amounng several remaining buildings from companies that constituted the go-go 1920's startup of industry, but not many made it to WWII (e.g., Marmon, Locomobile, Premier, etc,)
Its been taken care of by a series of owners, though. This one is nestled between existing buildings of similar vintage on both sides .. frontages and skylights only way to see daylight.
ca. late 1920's
21st Century, some of the facade details gone, but "H" for Hudson still there
2018
2022 - Getting some love, and tenants its seems
Another urban "palace" from the early days, that seems to finally have found a stable alternative usage in a century. Chicago still with an urban population density to suppport reuse investments in these types of properties.
Its nestled amounng several remaining buildings from companies that constituted the go-go 1920's startup of industry, but not many made it to WWII (e.g., Marmon, Locomobile, Premier, etc,)
Its been taken care of by a series of owners, though. This one is nestled between existing buildings of similar vintage on both sides .. frontages and skylights only way to see daylight.
ca. late 1920's
21st Century, some of the facade details gone, but "H" for Hudson still there
2018
2022 - Getting some love, and tenants its seems
Old man with a hat wondering where the big Chryslers are.
