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It’s uncertain whether or not anybody ever walked into the Woods Storage DeSoto-Plymouth dealership on Summer season Road and introduced to proprietor Raymond Wooden, “Groucho despatched me!”
Recalling the well-known tag line from his TV present, “You Guess Your Life,” Groucho Marx was sponsored by DeSoto-Plymouth and he ceaselessly instructed his viewers to let sellers know the comic despatched them for his or her new automobile.
Within the early days of tv, Dinah Shore inspired you to “See the USA in a Chevrolet,” whereas “The Buick-Berle Present” was the successor to Uncle Milties’ “Texaco Star Theater.”
Throughout the fledgling years of tv within the late Nineteen Forties and early Fifties, the recognition of the car slot in completely with the brand new medium.
Whereas various automobile dealerships sprang up alongside Gardner’s well-known “Car Row,” there have been many different well-known car sellers in different elements of town.
Many of those companies dealt within the run-of-the-mill Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Pontiac and Buick fashions, however you possibly can additionally discover such makes as Nash, Hudson, DeSoto, Studebaker, Kaiser-Frazer and Packard in Gardner.
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There have been some short-lived sellers equivalent to Crowley Motors at 179 West St., which bought the road of Lincoln-Mercury within the early Fifties. Later, on the identical locale, Baker and Gardner Autos additionally bought Mercury automobiles within the mid-Fifties.
As well as, Preston Motors at 361 West St., owned by Preston Esancy, bought Nash cars within the mid-Fifties.
Another long-standing car sellers within the metropolis are listed under.
Fredette Motors, 85 Connors St.
E. Francis Fredette opened a Dodge and Plymouth dealership right here round 1940. It was positioned throughout the road from one other native dealership, Stanley’s Oldsmobile on Metropolis Corridor Avenue.
Fredette Motors moved to 122 Pearson Boulevard in 1980 when the place on Connors Road was taken for the constructing of the Binnall Home. As well as, the “new” Gardner Hearth Station was additionally constructed close by.
Eskeli Brothers, 443 West Broadway
Brothers A. William and Eugene O. Eskeli operated a gasoline station right here on West Broadway from 1938 to 1961, whereas additionally working one other station in Union Sq. within the early Nineteen Forties.
Throughout that point interval, the Eskelis bought the make of Kaiser-Frazer, which had a short run of success by means of the mid-Fifties. In reality, Kaiser-Frazer was the one new U.S. automaker to realize success after World Conflict II, if just for just a few years.
The dealership continued into the late Fifties earlier than the constructing was razed round 1962 when buildings have been taken down for the formation of Route 2.
Saunders Motors, 71 West Broadway
In 1948, the Gardner Hudson Co. was opened right here by F. Gordon Saunders and Robert Bliss, promoting the Hudson motor automobile. Hudson was widespread from 1909 by means of 1954 when it merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corp. to kind American Motors (AMC). The Hudson identify was discontinued after 1957.
The enterprise was modified to Saunders Motors in 1959, which bought primarily Dodge automobiles and vans. Saunders remained there till 1971 when Myles Geer opened Geer Nation Motors for 2 years.
By early 1973, the dealership closed, the constructing razed and land cleared for the constructing of the Washington Park Residences. The models have been prepared for occupancy starting within the fall of that 12 months.
Woods Storage, 21 Summer season St.
In 1934, Raymond F. Wooden opened Woods Auto Repairs on Summer season Road in South Gardner. Starting as early as 1936, Woods Storage bought the DeSoto-Plymouth car.
The station was ceaselessly a hub of exercise because the enterprise started promoting a 24-hour tow truck service in 1950, then three years later it was the distributor for Homgas Bottled Fuel.
Woods Ambulance can be headquartered at this location starting in 1954, offering medical service to town. Raymond Wooden died in 1973 and the enterprise was taken over by his son, Philip A. Wooden.
In 1997, Woods Ambulance unveiled its new facility at 457 Most important St., within the former location of the Newcomb and Walsh car dealership, and stays there to this present day.
On the former Woods Storage on Summer season Road is Precision Optics Corp.
As we speak, the one automobile dealership remaining within the metropolis is Salvadore Auto Group, which makes a speciality of Chevrolet, Chrysler and Dodge Ram fashions at 442 West Broadway.
Longtime Gardner residents will recall that the West Broadway venue was as soon as an A&P grocery store.
Salvadore additionally has used automobile heaps positioned at 421 West Broadway in addition to at 249 Timpany Boulevard. There are lots of different used automobile heaps across the metropolis.
Gardner is much from the auto mecca it as soon as appeared to be in an earlier period with greater than 20 car sellers discovered throughout the confines of metropolis.
Feedback and strategies for Then and Now will be despatched to Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing to Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Street, Sandwich, MA 02563.
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