Buick Pizza

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by Toplesslark69, Jan 27, 2021.

  1. Toplesslark69

    Toplesslark69 Skwerly

    Enjoyed some awesome pizza this Fri in an old dealership in Worcester MA. (Dropped off my daughter for college @ Holy Cross)
     

    Attached Files:

  2. OHC JOE

    OHC JOE Mullet Mafia since 2020

    Awesome and congrats
     
  3. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember

    That's so cool, are all the Buick logos still in place?
    Found older pics of the former Edward Buick-GMC building in Worcester:

    wobuick.jpg

    wobuick2.jpg

    wobuick3.jpg

    wobuick4.jpg

    wobuick5.jpg
     
    Smokey15 likes this.
  4. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember

    Streetview image from 2007:
    when it was a Jeep dealership they covered all the Buick logos in the upper windows with banners :cool:

    WorcesterJeep.jpg

    WorcesterBuick.jpg
     
    bobc455 likes this.
  5. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Look at the construction and style of that building. more suited for a church or fancy restaurant. The dealerships of today cant compare.
     
  6. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

    There was a time that dealerships had grand staircases and chandeliers, surprised they didn't cover over the Buick windows
     
    ilikebmx999 likes this.
  7. 69 GS 400

    69 GS 400 Well-Known Member

    Hats off to the owner of the Jeep dealership for not destroying history. Assuming that most would have to put their own logos up.
     
    chiefsb30 and Max Damage like this.
  8. BQUICK

    BQUICK Gold Level Contributor

    Very cool!!!
     
  9. BYoung

    BYoung Stage me

    True story about this dealership...our family was on it's way to Nova Scotia from Miami in 1972 to see my Grandparents and we were rear-ended by a tractor trailer rig on I-90 just around Worcester . The accident totaled our 1970 Electra and we were stranded. Luckily none of us was seriously injured. My Father worked for Sheehan Buick in Miami and he called Mr. Sheehan to find out about dealerships in the Boston area where we could get a car to finish the trip. Mr. Sheehan then called Worcester Buick and told them to give us whatever we needed. Worcester Buick lent us a 1972 Electra to go to Nova Scotia and we dropped the car off on the way back. No charge! Then someone from the dealership drove us to Logan airport and we flew back to Miami.
     
  10. BQUICK

    BQUICK Gold Level Contributor

    Must have been a whole different deal years ago buying a car. I caught the tail end of it where you went to a small town Buick-only dealership and sat down with someone you knew and checked the boxes of the options you wanted and waited for YOUR car to come in.
    But back when that dealership was built it was a whole nother deal....people dressing up with hats and gloves to go buy a car.....a special occasion...at least that is what my grandmother conveyed when she told about my grandfather buying his 1956 Packard Carribean convertible.
     
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  11. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember

    Yes, nowadays you are not even allowed to enter the building when you wear a smoking...

    1D0111C3-53D6-404E-9092-BD788CC7F43D.jpeg

    :cool::p:D
     
  12. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    This was once a Studebaker dealership in downtown StPetersburg. Id ride by it often and wondered what it was like back in the day[​IMG]
     
  13. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

  14. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember


    Here's an old pic:

    peninsularold.jpg


    Built in 1925, the Studebaker Building is historically significant for its association with the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s and the relationship of the automobile industry and suburbanization. The role of the family automobile in expanding Florida tourism after the First World War I cannot be overstated. St. Petersburg in particular was the destination of middle class winter tourists who came by car and were abetted in their efforts through the ambitious road building programs of Governor Martin and the completion of the Gandy Bridge in 1924, which encouraged the influx of "tin can tourists" into the city. Finally, the building symbolizes the importance of the Studebaker automobile within that industry in the 1920s, particularly the Peninsular Motor Company of southwest Florida, the fourth largest Studebaker dealer in volume in the country by 1925.

    The Studebaker Building was the largest and most expensive automobile showroom/garage built in St. Petersburg before the Second World War. The economic boom of the 1920s saw frenzied growth in all areas of commercial construction, including automotive related structures. A review of the St. Petersburg newspapers and city directories from 1920 to 1926 shows phenomenal growth of the automotive business. The Studebaker Building was built in 1925 and occupied by December of that year. It was principally financed by investor Frank C. Lyon of St. Petersburg who spent $115,000 on the construction of the building and retained ownership, giving a long term lease to the Peninsular Motor Co. of Tampa which had the Studebaker franchise for southwest Florida.

    The Peninsular Motor Company of Tampa was incorporated in 1921 by Saul Jacobs, President, and Sam Bloomberg, Secretary/Treasurer. The rapid expansion of the company is typical of the Boom Era economy of Florida. In 1922 a franchise was opened in St. Petersburg at 691 Central Avenue, with four employees. When the Studebaker Building opened in December 1925, the company was the fourth largest Studebaker dealer in the world. The franchise covered 14 counties in southwest Florida, with showrooms in Tampa, Lakeland, Bradenton, Sarasota and St. Petersburg. In 1925 the Peninsular Motor Company provided employment for 300 people, with 56 working in St. Petersburg's showroom. However, by 1926 the Peninsular Motor Co. went bankrupt as a result of the collapse of the boom, and the Studebaker Building was closed.

    Very few structures remain in St. Petersburg that relate to the early years of this emerging automotive economy. Several badly altered service stations, and a much remodeled Nash-Overland dealership on Central Avenue are the only survivors in addition to the Studebaker Building. Many car dealerships operating on vacant lots in the 1920s also contributed to the scarcity of such buildings. While the Studebaker Company recovered and survived until its final demise in 1967, the Peninsular Motor Company did not. The Studebaker Building stood vacant from 1927 until 1930; at that time the Marble Savings Bank remodeled the interior and leased space on the ground floor to an A&P Grocery Store.


    More info on this page:
    https://studebaker-info.org/Dealers/StPetersburgfl/stpetersburgfl.html
     
  15. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember

    The Studebaker Building was built in 1925 and it only served a few years as a Studebaker dealership:

    Pretty rare Studebaker logos on the building:

     
  16. Toplesslark69

    Toplesslark69 Skwerly

    Sorry guys been offline for a bit! Excited that this thread generated so much nostalgia! The stained glass windows are all intact and the interior looked to be minimally altered with the open rafter industrial look. Having an architect brother, and an eye for cool old stuff I was looking at the building more than my plate.
    Nailhead you have any research info on the Atlantic City/Pleasantville Studebaker dealer? Last time I went through that ‘lovely part’ it was still standing and had similar stonework.
    Stay warm everyone east of the Miss!
     
  17. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember

    Found this text on Facebook:

    The former Mathis Motors Studebaker dealership is located on White Horse Pike in Pleasantville, New Jersey, just outside of Atlantic City.

    This building probably has more intact Studebaker Turning Wheel emblems in good condition than any other former Studebaker dealership, and its still in a remarkable state of preservation despite being underutilised for many years.

    The Mathis Motors Building was planned to look and feel more like a church than a car dealership, with grand open spaces, high ceilings, sconces, chandeliers, tiled floors and a huge Studebaker mural.
    After supervising the construction of the building in 1926-27 the Mathis brothers and their sons won silver trophies for outselling all other Studebaker dealers in their category (determined by population).

    By 1953 the dealership had delivered over 8,000 vehicles.
    Mathis continued selling Studebakers right through the end of Canadian production and there are many stories of new but somewhat dusty 1966 Studebakers remaining on the showroom floor for many years, along with a largely untouched parts stock.

    While the building survives its future is uncertain as the surrounding area has been in decline since the 1960's.

    Stude1.jpg

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    And I also found a YouTube video, very interesting building!

     
    bhambulldog, Toplesslark69 and WQ59B like this.
  18. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember

    Old Cars Weekly article from 2009:


    Can former Studebaker dealership be saved?
    Because of its location, this building could be destined for the wrecking ball

    Aug 24, 2009




    Mathis Motors Studebaker was built over 80 years ago in classic
    Mission Revival style.


    [​IMG]
    Peter Crisitello is attempting to form an organization to acquire and restore the building, which is an excellent example of a Mission Revival commercial structure that once housed the Mathis Motors Studebaker dealership in Atlantic County, N.J.

    The building is currently for sale, but because of its location could be desirable for development and thus potential demolition.

    In an e-mail appeal to Old Cars Weekly Crisitello describes the building: "Surprisingly, this building still looks just about the same as it did when built in 1926/27.
    An article from the August 2006 Turning Wheels Almanac column, confirmed that this is the former Mathis Motors dealership in Egg Harbor Township.

    The Terra Cotta Studebaker Wheel emblems came from the South Amboy Terra Cotta Works and are all in excellent shape.
    The points on each of the towers are also terra cotta. The green trim along the roof edge is all copper.
    The Almanac editor Richard Quinn indicated the building was built from 1926 to 1927, at a cost of $90,000.

    He goes on to note:
    "To answer some other questions, the showroom (front half of the building) was originally opened to the roof like a church with a balcony to the back.
    To the far right side of that balcony was/is what is left of the manager’s office.

    The current owner added a full second floor over the showroom, using reclaimed wood from the Atlantic City Board Walk located about 3 miles east of its location.
    This addition is strong enough to drive a car on if I had some way to get it up that high!
    Between each of the big open display windows are columns topped with plaster castings of different sailing ships.

    "This Showroom portion of the building is about 42' wide by 60' long.
    The Service area is just about the same, making the building about 120' long by 42' wide.

    The current owner replaced the Service area roof about 15 years ago.
    The peaked wood roof supports and bracing is all metal on top of brick piers.

    Most of the windows in the service area have been replaced with modern double hung with insulated glass ones.
    While the big picture windows are still glass the upper half circles are plastic."

    Forming a nonprofit organization to save a building is unchartered territory for Crisitello.

    "Am I tilting at windmills or just off my rocker!?" he asks.
    "If I can succeed in forming a not-for-profit "Friends of" or another type of foundation, would anyone be willing to put some money into this project?"

    "I believe this 82 year old building deserves a chance to make it beyond 100.
    I would like to give it that chance," he adds.


    Here's the link to the article:
    https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/news/former-studebaker-dealership-rescue
     
    Toplesslark69 likes this.
  19. Nailhead in a 1967

    Nailhead in a 1967 Kell-Mnown Wember

    Google StreetView, August 2017:

    Stude5.jpg
     
  20. thebuick

    thebuick Well-Known Member

    Being from Worcester, I pass by the old Edwards Buick dealership weekly. I remember when my Mother Bought her Buick from them. [ when Dad worked for General Motors in Framingham you ONLY bought GM products ] I watched them remodel this building .I was waited to see if the Beautiful Buick glass would be removed. If they were to remove it, I would of done my best to salvage it. Glad they kept it.
     

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