Busse Bredeman Buick, IL.
Sam Fleming Buick, Fort Worth, TX.
Charles Orsinger Buick, San Antonio, TX.
Bradshaw Chevrolet Buick, Cedar City, UT.
Springfield Motors Buick, Springfield, OR (This one has its own CC entry).
Bill Sherman Buick, Michigan City, IN.
Our neighbor in Towson, Mr. LaForge, was the first person in town to but a ’59 Buick, a black hardtop, forget the model, and got his picture with the car in the local paper, it was a big deal back then!
I can’t pull up the name of the Buick dealer in Towson right now, right there on York Avenue near the top of the hill. My dad bought his ’65 Opel Kadett from them.
Brooks Buick. Opened back in the early 1930’s on Mt.Royal Avenue in Baltimore before moving to Towson. Became a BMW dealership around 1985. Now BMW of Towson.
Correct, it was Brooks, up near Gino’s. They later moved down the hill to Kenilworth and sold BMWs too, I bought a ’72 Skylark with 38k miles from them in ’78.
Last picture…poor guy with 5 daughters? He’s going to need to pay for a bunch of weddings someday! This may be his last BUick!
My thoughts too!!
Anthony, I noticed in that same photo that a `59 Buick and an Opel are on the showfloor. I wonder if dad got one of the first `60 models from this dealer? I agree about the girls. The line for the bathroom in that house forms early I bet!!
Nice nighttime shot of my nearby Buick dealership, Fields Buick of Hyattsville, MD which was there until 2006. Building seemed really run down by the ’70s when we shopped for a ’77 LeSabre or Electra there, in a busy downtown area on Rt. 1 that I couldn’t imagine an upscale car dealership being on today. It seemed out of place even a half century ago. I remember the inside had a terrible smoky smell because one of the fluorescent lamp magnetic ballasts had fried earlier that day.
Wasn’t “battling Burt Lustine, Chevrolet” right nearby, as well?
Bradshaw in Utah wins the longevity award here – still in business at the same location, and under the same name. Though it seems they dropped the Buick franchise a few years ago, since their website lists only Chevys.
Then-and-now comparison below:
Someone decided the building just had to be taller. Happens alot to old buildings it seems.
The last photo is from Bill Sherman Buick in Michigan City, Indiana. The building is still standing (now a pet supply store).
Location here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cd31a4a8M89Cyxfy5
Cool. I’ll update the post with this info.
That 1959 looked like a total winner, but it wasn’t. It harmed Buick for years and nearly caused Buick to get the DeSoto treatment. But it looked so cool.
The “ole Buick dealer”, building in “Falls Church VA” looked like the “Springfield Motors” building.
You’re right – I can’t find a picture of that building when it was a Buick dealer, but here’s an image from an old ad:
Building was still there for “ages”. So, so much along “Broad St” ((Rt 7)) got/ getting redeveloped.
Will have to have a “look/see”, soon.
Don’t all those ‘57 Buicks at Orsinger Buick look identical? Same color, tinted windshields, blackwalls.
A price war developed in the mid 50’s among the big three. Volume was the easiest way to lower production costs per unit. This forced the smaller units (Hudson, Nash, Studebaker, Packard, Kaiser, etc) to look for dance partners with mixed results.
The flamboyant style is these cars is just over the top. Call it what you want, but I think the 1959 Buick is just stunning, especially when compared to the amorphous blobs that inhabit the streets today.
Dad wanted the 59 electra but with all of us kids he bought a 59 merc colony park because the rear seat faced forward. gm and mopar faced rear. country squires faced each other but it was a smaller car.
Our ’59 Country Squire had forward facing seats, as did our ’63 Country Sedan. Ford’s side facing seats came in ’65 with the major redesign and the 2 way tailgate.
This was my Great-grandfather’s dealership, located in Thomaston, GA. The pole with seat at top is still there.
Many of these franchises awarded in the late 30’s and 40’s. Grandpa was a bit of a hustler and could sell cars, no matter the brand. Several salesmen been with grandpa since the day they opened the front door. Many small local newspapers survived off of advertising from local dealerships. Son, grandson, or nephew not interested in picking up the business. Therefore, either sold out or closed shop due to changes in the neighborhood.
Lots and lots of family history here.
So many great pictures .
I didn’t like the ’59 Buick back when but it looks nice now .
-Nate
Certainly “iconic”, anyway.