Flint, Michigan
Photos of Vintage Auto Dealerships, Repair Shops, and Gas Stations
- Thread starter ayilar
- Start date
Stumbled onto history. Still there or not? we'll save to end.
sources: Sidney 'Buster' Kelley, pioneer in used cars, Blue Book price guide, PCAD - Kelley Kar Company, Auto Dealership, 1225 Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA.
ca. 1930's, Kelley Kar Co, 1225 Figueroa (at Pico), Los Angeles. By 1950, they were selling 600 new cars/month, and 400 used cars/month. Kelly Blue Book? It was these fellas -- two brothers - who founded that venerable publication.
Pioneered TV advertising, 5 year car loans, and other things still used all over the world to sell cars.
Post card and historical aerial from 1964
Evolution. pick up the story in 2011. went outta car biz somewhere in early 70's, part of building razed, repurposed then.
Finally all gone. One high-rise already there on the left done sometime in the early 2000's I think.
No way in this real estate market, in this part of the city, a two story building 1/3 of a city block long, could survive to the present. Part of it almost did. Wasn't aesthetically distinctive real estate to me, but a lotta retail dealership history was made here.
last, two high-rise apartments in place of the original dealership.
Other side of Figueroa (west side) btw?? Gilbert Lindsey Plaza Gilbert Lindsay Plaza (where the arena formerly named "Staples Center" and other attractions are located).
View immediately below is looking south down Figueroa. The pic below that is looking northerly up Figueroa toward the arena.
sources: Sidney 'Buster' Kelley, pioneer in used cars, Blue Book price guide, PCAD - Kelley Kar Company, Auto Dealership, 1225 Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA.
ca. 1930's, Kelley Kar Co, 1225 Figueroa (at Pico), Los Angeles. By 1950, they were selling 600 new cars/month, and 400 used cars/month. Kelly Blue Book? It was these fellas -- two brothers - who founded that venerable publication.
Pioneered TV advertising, 5 year car loans, and other things still used all over the world to sell cars.
Post card and historical aerial from 1964
Evolution. pick up the story in 2011. went outta car biz somewhere in early 70's, part of building razed, repurposed then.
Finally all gone. One high-rise already there on the left done sometime in the early 2000's I think.
No way in this real estate market, in this part of the city, a two story building 1/3 of a city block long, could survive to the present. Part of it almost did. Wasn't aesthetically distinctive real estate to me, but a lotta retail dealership history was made here.
last, two high-rise apartments in place of the original dealership.
Other side of Figueroa (west side) btw?? Gilbert Lindsey Plaza Gilbert Lindsay Plaza (where the arena formerly named "Staples Center" and other attractions are located).
View immediately below is looking south down Figueroa. The pic below that is looking northerly up Figueroa toward the arena.
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I've posted pics of the Franklin Factory in Syracuse before, but these popped up in my FB "nostalgic Syracuse" group this morning.
I wish the map was a little bigger.
Torn down and replaced with Fowler High School in the mid 70's
I wish the map was a little bigger.
Torn down and replaced with Fowler High School in the mid 70's
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ca. 1927, Becker Motors (Willys/Overland "distributor"), 3633 Michigan Ave, Detroit.
Reinforced concrete, high ceiling first floor showroom, indoor "lot" 2nd/3rd floor. 38,000 sq ft.. Not much known after early 1950's when Kaiser bought it and Willys/Overland disappeared.
All kinds of famous/infamous buildings nearby. This part of Detroit was booming 1920's through 1950's.
Probably was other things, including empty as Michigan Avenue west of downtown declined second half of 20th century/first decade of 21st. New life & usage today, though the neighborhood is a little "rough" though coming back slowly.
I applaud whoever broought this century old structure into modernity back. Tastefully done if seems. But, usually huge HVAC and environmental projecs to turn into office buildings. Still, will easily last another 100 years.
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Reinforced concrete, high ceiling first floor showroom, indoor "lot" 2nd/3rd floor. 38,000 sq ft.. Not much known after early 1950's when Kaiser bought it and Willys/Overland disappeared.
All kinds of famous/infamous buildings nearby. This part of Detroit was booming 1920's through 1950's.
Probably was other things, including empty as Michigan Avenue west of downtown declined second half of 20th century/first decade of 21st. New life & usage today, though the neighborhood is a little "rough" though coming back slowly.
I applaud whoever broought this century old structure into modernity back. Tastefully done if seems. But, usually huge HVAC and environmental projecs to turn into office buildings. Still, will easily last another 100 years.
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67newport
Old Man with a Hat
East Syracuse Chevy.
I think the building is gone. I can't find an exact address to double check that, but I did look around West Manlius St in East Syracuse on Google maps and I can't find the building, so I'd say I'm right on that.
It has changed hands a few times and relocated, and now under another name, but still in business. One of the oldest and biggest auto dealerships in Central New York sold
Diggin' a map mystery. @Big_John, your map work has proved to be unassailable brother.
I couldnt find the address either. The newer pace that West Herr bought seems to be thee place Greenberg moved TO from wherever he was on W. Manilus (NY-290).
Pegman took me on the tour of East Syracuse and I concur that a building the size of the original East Syracuse, built 1929, is NOT there today.
Actually that little one story building on corrner (RED arrow above, last photo below ) of North and W. Manilus MIGHT still be there.
Additionally, I checked historical aerials back to 1956, on W. Manilus, between Silver and James, for any building big enough that was there THEN and not there now. I only saw one candidate site.
Between Silver and North. Buncha newer stuff there now. That would be my guess. It was razed betwen 1988 and 1995 (thats when it disappeared from historical aerial pics.
1958
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That looks right to me.Diggin' a map mystery. @Big_John, your map work has proved to be unassailable brother.
I couldnt find the address either. The newer pace that West Herr bought seems to be thee place Greenberg moved TO from wherever he was on W. Manilus (NY-290).
View attachment 611340
Pegman took me on the tour of East Syracuse and I concur that a building the size of the original East Syracuse, built 1929, is NOT there today.
Actually that little one story building on corrner (RED arrow above, last photo below ) of North and W. Manilus MIGHT still be there.
Additionally, I checked historical aerials back to 1956, on W. Manilus, between Silver and James, for any building big enough that was there THEN and not there now. I only saw one candidate site.
Between Silver and North. Buncha newer stuff there now. That would be my guess. It was razed betwen 1988 and 1995 (thats when it disappeared from historical aerial pics.
1958
View attachment 611336
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I remember being there once when my sister had some work done on her Impala at least 15 years ago and that seems about where it was.
I never spent a lot of time in East Syracuse, so that's a part of town I'm not real familiar with, but I did immediately recognize the building.
ca. 1930, Pounds Motors, 167 W. Plant Street, Winter Garden Florida.
Mainly sold Ford tractors but some autos too. 100 years old almost, reuse extensively in a quaint, historical Central FL city.
Nondescript, steel & brick, industrial architecture, constructed in 1926 in the THIRD wave of Winter Garden rebuilding (two previous fires destroyed the town) in thr 70 yeas after it was built of wood when founded in 1850
source: Pounds Motor Company Historical Marker, PIECES OF THE PAST: Pounding the Pavement - Citrus Industry Magazine
ca. 1930
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Mainly sold Ford tractors but some autos too. 100 years old almost, reuse extensively in a quaint, historical Central FL city.
Nondescript, steel & brick, industrial architecture, constructed in 1926 in the THIRD wave of Winter Garden rebuilding (two previous fires destroyed the town) in thr 70 yeas after it was built of wood when founded in 1850
source: Pounds Motor Company Historical Marker, PIECES OF THE PAST: Pounding the Pavement - Citrus Industry Magazine
ca. 1930
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This place is a commercial business that rents this space (parties, photoshoots, etc.). Minus the rent it out thing, if I found a place like this it has elements of a "hobby house'.
In my particular case, its too small at only 1,100 sq. ft. but I still like it. With a couple more amenities, I'd rock it as a auto-themed bachelor pad all day long though.
Dont NOT know the address in Long Beach CA, so cannot find what it was. Fairly sure it was a two-bay gas-station to start with. The architecture is mid-century modern, so it must date to ca. 1940's.-early 1950's.
source: "THE SHOP" , Renovated Mid Century Auto shop | Rent this location on Giggster
In my particular case, its too small at only 1,100 sq. ft. but I still like it. With a couple more amenities, I'd rock it as a auto-themed bachelor pad all day long though.
Dont NOT know the address in Long Beach CA, so cannot find what it was. Fairly sure it was a two-bay gas-station to start with. The architecture is mid-century modern, so it must date to ca. 1940's.-early 1950's.
source: "THE SHOP" , Renovated Mid Century Auto shop | Rent this location on Giggster
Found one kinda like this in Richmond, VA. Rough area of town, unfortunately.
yeah man ... like any real estate deal. location, location, location.
what i like, i cant afford.
what i can afford, unless I "Uzi"-up, they'll find me whacked in there and the Whale burned up in an alley on other side of town
i am confident i will find something .. a commercial repurpose or a regular house with an outbuilding(s) (i stopped looking for those a few yrs ago,
source: FOR SALE: 32+- Acres Marion County IL Mini Farm Tillable Outbuildings Home 2663L - Buy A Farm Land and Auction Company
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"The White Caravan was a 150-stop promotional tour undertaken by representatives of the Auburn Automobile Company. Four Auburn automobiles in four different body styles; a sedan, speedster, phaeton, and cabriolet, were painted white for the excursion. The drivers were dressed in all-white suits to match the cars. The tour was led by L. K. Barnett, who also drove in the coast-to-coast tour."
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Auburn, Cord Dusenberg plant, 1600 S. Wayne Rd, Auburn IN. Built 1930, art deco design, still there today as the Auburn Museum. Perfect reuse for this 93 year old gem.
source: Museum History | Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum - Auburn, IN
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