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

Built in the 1930's, Charles Soderstrom Ford, 1525 S. Pacific Ave, San Pedro CA. Today, British European Auto, a dealership. These folks "loved" that building.

"During the mid 90’s we had the good fortune to move to our current location, a fabulous older building that was designed in the 30’s as a Ford dealership ..

the building had unfortunately fallen into disrepair from the result of some uncaring previous tenants so we had to spend a great deal of time and all of our financial resources to get the building ready to work out of ..

The repair work we have done before and since has always been with a view to keep as much of the original integrity and style of this wonderful old building."

Source: British European Auto - 1525 S. Pacific Ave. San Pedro Ca 90731

circa: 1949
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Today
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Uncertain of year built, the former Berl Berry Lincoln Mercury, 3700 Wilshire, Los Angeles. Picture is from 1951 -- wonder if these folks had fights we McDonalds of the "arches." Anyway, pretty snazzy architecture.

source: https://martinturnbull.com/2022/09/...ership-3700-wilshire-blvd-los-angeles-1951-2/

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Today - corner of Wilshire and Oxford. The dealership was on that green space on the left (Liberty Park).

My attention was drawn tho to the art-deco beauty across the street where the Denny's is. Surprised it was still there .. wonder what is was...
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Interesting one ... Maddux Lincoln, 9230 Wilshire, Los Angeles. Built in the 1920's. Later become a Caddie dealership.

Now, there is a Lexus dealer on the site .. but it looks to me the old art-deco facade was torn down on some point to put a modern "front" on what would have been the garage area in the back.

source: https://martinturnbull.com/2016/04/...shire-blvd-los-angeles-circa-1920s-andor-30s/

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Today - Lexus dealer with "modern" brand-image showroom that looks connected to a vintage garage area (small windows with stone sills are in the modern/vintage photos) in back.
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amazinblue82 said:
Interesting one ... Maddux Lincoln, 9230 Wilshire, Los Angeles. Built in the 1920's. Later become a Caddie dealership.

Now, there is a Lexus dealer on the site .. but it looks to me the old art-deco facade was torn down on some point to put a modern "front" on what would have been the garage area in the back.

source: https://martinturnbull.com/2016/04/...shire-blvd-los-angeles-circa-1920s-andor-30s/

Today - Lexus dealer with "modern" brand-image showroom that looks connected to a vintage garage area (small windows with stone sills are in the modern/vintage photos) in back.
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This is nuts -- the old building is so much classier than this generic glass facade.
 
Built 1931, Hawkes Bay Farmers Garage, 97 Dalton Street, Napier, New Zealand.

Art-deco "streamline moderne", as we know, went around the world in 20's & 30's.

Still there per the source as of 2021, but serveral "remodels" (was single story. reinforced concrete as built, major redos in 1938,1967, 1980, etc) has left it unrecognizable (though the local authorities believe the original structure is underneath everything done since 1931) vs as-built.

sources: napier.govt.nz, Reddit Webpage Streamline Moderne

circa: 1930's
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Today - eyeballin' the frontage, the width of the vacant lot on right vs. the vintage building that was there, that might be it .. otherwise I can't tell.
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error correction. see #515

Photos of Vintage Auto Dealerships, Repair Shops, and Gas Stations
 
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Built around 1930, former Firestone garage, 1750 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY. Art-deco beauty with wonderful curves, big doors & windows, etc., it lived almost 90 years. Was also a Texaco.

The tall apartment buildings (Ebbets Field Apartments) with where Ebbets Field (where Brooklyn Dodgers played, torn down in 1960) was.

Finally succumbed to demolition for a seven-story mixed use (commercial & residential) building.

source: Past and Present: Empire Boulevard's Firestone Service Station | Brownstoner

circa: 1930
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Circa: 1980's
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circa: 2000's
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Today per Google. Here then gone.

That piece of real estate, especially one this size, can make 20X the amount of money for a landowner than any renovated old Firestone could I'll bet. The economics to raze old stuff is irresistible in some markets.
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BONUS.

stray photo of the Firestone, when it was just a few years old (look close, you can make it out, past the intersection -- Empire is the left/right cross street, Firestone on the left corner), and when Ebbets Field was still there in the distance (center of photo, looking north down Bedford) as Bedford bends to the right.

source: Flickr.

circa: 1930's

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Probably was a dealership (showroom in front, garage in back, streamline moderne) sometime in its past, but no history located on it.

616 Erwin, Tyler TX. Built 1935, its about 90 miles east of Dallas

Lotta vacant land around this one being turned into residences. A "retiree home garage" candidate, it is about the size (~5,000 sq. ft.) I want. Last transacted in a sale for about $275,000

source: Flickr, Loopnet

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2022 Google -- looks like somebody has already turned it into something automotive after the printing place left ...
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amazinblue82 said:
Built 1931, Hawkes Bay Farmers Garage, 97 Dalton Street, Napier, New Zealand.

Art-deco "streamline moderne", as we know, went around the world in 20's & 30's.

Still there per the source as of 2021, but serveral "remodels" (was single story. reinforced concrete as built, major redos in 1938,1967, 1980, etc) has left it unrecognizable (though the local authorities believe the original structure is underneath everything done since 1931) vs as-built.

sources: napier.govt.nz, Reddit Webpage Streamline Moderne

circa: 1930's
View attachment 571195

Today - eyeballin' the frontage, the width of the vacant lot on right vs. the vintage building that was there, that might be it .. otherwise I can't tell.
View attachment 571199
Click to expand...
You're a little off, you can still see the curved entry in the aerial. The building you were looking at is on the left edge of this street view.
Napier.jpg

Napier 1.jpg



Alan
 
MrMoparCHP said:
You're a little off, you can still see the curved entry in the aerial. The building you were looking at is on the left edge of this street view.
View attachment 571224
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Alan
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yup, you're right.

the Napier New Zealand link showed that address AND vintage building, but the the map search of that address popped up the new building.

The new building I showed is NOT 97 Dalton. Its 123 Dalton. anyway, i didnt take the time to do an aerial look to check the footprint. I woulda seen I was 1/2 block away from what I wanted.

I just went by "name" on facade -- with the caveat it didn't look quite right but with no further investigation of the physical details.

thx boss for the diligence!

:thumbsup:
 
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This might be here .. I know I have seen it before.

Built 1948, Raymond Scott Oldsmobile, 265 Lancaster, Wynnewood, PA (just a bit NE of Philadelphia). Looks late streamline moderne/early mid-century modern styles combined.

Still there, now a Nissan dealer. Vintage contours still there, but now all tiled over in contemporary square tiles/sharp edges. A distinctive frame wasn't trashed, but rather turned into modern brand-image "box".


1957
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circa: mid-1960's, going by what's in the showroom.
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2022
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Former gas station, built 1955, 50 Broadway, Denville, NJ (30 miles NE of NY City).

Recently transacted (dunno sales price but assessed value was $400,000, so prolly was listed for at least that), some folks wan to to turn it into a brewery.

1,450 sq. ft, corner lot downtown, 1/4 acre. typical size of two-bay stations, lotta room to park.

Smaller than what I would look for in my "retiree home garage), too near a city center pumps up acquisition price/may preclude residential use, and a hint of streamline moderne design is cool tho.

Still .. nice little place, seems suited for a small retail business.

sources: 'Diamond Spring Brewing Company' coming to downtown Denville, 50 Broadway, Denville, NJ 07834 | LoopNet

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Man, I'd be all over this as my "retiree home garage". 5,600 square feet, three wings, big doors, lotta windowns. Probably too pricey for private use though

Built 1952, streamline moderne, as Irving Garage and Nash dealership, 1 Pond Lane, Southampton, NY. Near east end of Long Island, about 90 miles from NYC.

Went vacant somewhere in past five years, now has two retail businesses. Current LoopNet listing included. No price or lease rate is shown. Lots of pics tho.

source: 1 Pond Ln, Southampton, NY 11968 - Retail for Lease | LoopNet, Facebook

2018
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Today
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