Photos of Vintage Auto Dealerships, Repair Shops, and Gas Stations

Mid-century modern architecture, an American twist on post-war style (WWII to about 1970), circa. late 1950's. Carlisle-Porter, 2085 Gulf-to-Bay Rd, Clearwater FL, built 1952. Even the sign has architectural flourishes.

Still a dealership there, but there are no traces of this fine specimen. Safe to say its probably gone.

Many, many fine examples though in buildings, houses, furniture, etc., are still in existence.

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mid century modern, biased to the space-age (late 1950's), 4713 Auburn. Sacramento, CA. Still there today. ALways a gas station .. dunno if always the "Orbit" brand.

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Another example mid-century modern, space-age twist. Building dates to early 1960's construction.

Always has been a car dealership. 3024 Fremont St. Las Vegas, NV

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what's old is new again.

Below is the Lucid showroom at the Brickell City Center, in Miami FL and a second one is West Palm Beach FL

Lucid Motors, an electric car company, is designing its dealerships in the mid-century modern (again, WWII till about 1970 - clean lines, open spaces, use of indigenous wood & stone inside/outside the house, functional layout, LOTS of OVER-sized windows, etc) style.

Why?

They figured that people likely to be favorably disposed to buy a $70K car, both from income ability and attitudes that support electric car adoption, are the people who live in homes built in the 50's, 60's in the mid-century modern style. Plus they immaculately and tastefully maintain their houses in that style.

A continuing marketing theme for almost 100 years of automaking .. tie-ins with whatever the main architectural themes of the era.

Will it sell cars? Who knows. But if you own/been in mid-modern styles houses that exist today, you will see the resemblence in a Lucid showrooom, and be attracted to the car.

Aside -- the Lucid is real nice - fast, powerful, stylish - EV IMHO

source: https://www.fastcompany.com/9064474...re-looks-like-a-midcentury-modern-living-room

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refresh our memories of mid-century modern style in houses. source: What Are Eichler Homes? Mid-Century Modern Architectural Gems, That's What
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ayilar said:
Art Deco, Mid-Century Modern, whatever strikes your fancy is fine -- architectural interest should be the deciding factor!

Mopar shops are great, but there is no brand restriction here. Ditto for size: small or huge, as long as it looks good to you, post it! Whether they appear in their heyday or decrepit, go ahead! And while vintage dealerships / fueling stations / repair shops are what I have in mind for this thread, go ahead if a newer dealership strikes your fancy!

PLEASE post the name/location if you have that information.

@C Body Bob created a cool thread for Mopar vintage dealerships back in 2015. It has legs (19 pages!), but it is meant only for Mopar shops (no other brands) and dealerships (not repair shops). Here, I intend to focus on the buildings and their architecture. @sauterd and @MarPar posted a couple of dealership pics in a 2019 thread, and @John Kelly posted some of his own modern designs in this 2019 thread. I am not aware of other threads on related topics.

Paging some of the folks who have commented on these earlier threads, or who I think might be interested (apologies if you're interested and I did not tag you): @david hill @sixpkrt @Imperialist67 @Dobalovr @ceebuddy @rapidtrans @CBODY67 @kyle340 @saforwardlook @amazinblue82 @Big_John @Ripinator @bigmoparjeff @Fratzog @Boydsdodge @73Coupe @commando1 @glennb49 @MrMoparCHP @fc7_plumcrazy @patrick66 @Stormer

Here is a photo to start the thread -- this old Conoco station & diner is now the Chamber of Commerce building in Shamrock, TX:

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Old time Amoco station in Vesuvius, VA - mid fifties

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Here it is in a recent picture:


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An inside shot:

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Oldest continuouly operating (there are OLDER stations, but they stopped beng gas stations at some point in their past) in the US. Martin Oil bought it in 1978 from the Reighard family heirs.

Located at 3205 6th Ave, Altoona PA

The roof (until 2014) had its original reinforced concrete shingles (not very economical). The exterior was constructed of turn of the 20th century "cinder blocks" (for smarter builders than I, "cinder" blocks are NOT the same thing as "concrete" blocks).

I kinda wish Martin had keep building more original .. perhaps it was impossible for structure that old?

Sources: Reighards - Martin Oil Company, The oldest gasoline station still in operation today opened in what year?

Somewhere in the 1930's
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circa. early 2000's
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Today - via Google Maps (see new metal roof)
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amazinblue82 said:
what's old is new again.

Below is the Lucid showroom at the Brickell City Center, in Miami FL and a second one is West Palm Beach FL

Lucid Motors, an electric car company, is designing its dealerships in the mid-century modern (again, WWII till about 1970 - clean lines, open spaces, use of indigenous wood & stone inside/outside the house, functional layout, LOTS of OVER-sized windows, etc) style.

Why?

They figured that people likely to be favorably disposed to buy a $70K car, both from income ability and attitudes that support electric car adoption, are the people who live in homes built in the 50's, 60's in the mid-century modern style. Plus they immaculately and tastefully maintain their houses in that style.

A continuing marketing theme for almost 100 years of automaking .. tie-ins with whatever the main architectural themes of the era.

Will it sell cars? Who knows. But if you own/been in mid-modern styles houses that exist today, you will see the resemblence in a Lucid showrooom, and be attracted to the car.

Aside -- the Lucid is real nice - fast, powerful, stylish - EV IMHO

source: https://www.fastcompany.com/9064474...re-looks-like-a-midcentury-modern-living-room

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refresh our memories of mid-century modern style in houses. source: What Are Eichler Homes? Mid-Century Modern Architectural Gems, That's What
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A cool forum would be a Car to house/building match/pairing.
 
amazinblue82 said:
Quality Garage, built 1930, 1919 E. Sprague at Napa St., Spokane WA.

sources Old automotive garage turned thrift store on East Sprague placed on historic register after renovation, Historic Spokane

1941. Garage and gas stationView attachment 567450

early 2000's -- a thrift store
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2017 - after it had been a few things, and after it stopped being a garage in 2000, just before its last renovation.
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today, a vintage furniture store. 90 years old and hangin' in there.
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I'd love to own a building like that.
 
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