I have always been aware of Grand Avenue’s (Saint Paul, MN) Automotive past, and wanted to share a little of what I know! And if anyone from the area has additional knowledge please share … I walk my dog along Grand frequently, as Miles loves to beg treats from any business with an open door and have been snapping photos along the way. The most recognizable building is the former Studebaker Dealership on the SE corner of Grand/ Victoria with its icon still visible over the entrance. Then … And Today … Not sure how long it remained, but by the mid 50s and smaller Studebaker dealer was operating further up the avenue at 1330 Grand as Al Mergens Motors. Couldn’t find a vintage photo but do have one of their brochures …. And Today … More to come ….
At some point Grand Ave Ford took over the former Studebaker Dealership at Grand/Victoria. Grand Ave Ford I believe closed down in the early 70s. Then …. More to come …
Berry Chevrolet had its presence on the avenue from the 1920s thru at least the 60s with several locations all along the same block of Grand. The oldest location was on the NW corner of Grand/Victoria. Then … Today… Then they moved around the corner to their Victoria Street location. Then… Today …. And lastly they moved down the block to the west at Grand/Milton. Then … And today … More to come …
There is only one other location that I know definitely was once a dealership, and that’s the building located at Grand/Grotto. I couldn’t locate a vintage photo, but the 55 Oldsmobile I use to own had a lube sticker on the door identifying this location as an Oldsmobile dealership. Today… The one other location I suspect was possible a former dealership, based on the similar construction/location to other sites is the building on the NE corner of Grand/Victoria. Today… More to come ….
Thanks, reminder of simpler times. I don’t have any pictures, but in my small town of Renton, WA, it was similar. 3rd Ave in old downtown had the Chevrolet, the Olds, and Ford on the cross street of 3rd. Chysler and International a few blocks over. None as scenic as yours. All gone now, moved over by the freeway for more exposure and much bigger lots. All family names in those days. I miss them.
There's still some old dealership buildings along University Avenue in St. Paul too. I know of a few on the south side of downtown Minneapolis; one example is there's a building with a Chevy bowtie logo in the brickwork just off Nicollet Ave at around 18th St. (I forget the exact location.) There's also some along east Lake St. Not an old dealership, but for many years this old gas station was a used car lot. It's apparently back to being used as a repair shop. I like the deco 'Service' on the roof over the garage door. It's at the corner of Lake St. and Portland Ave.
The history of car dealerships in St. Paul and Minneapolis and how they've moved around over time is interesting. In the earliest days they were on Grand Ave. in St. Paul, and along Nicollet Ave and Hennepin Ave in Minneapolis. Later on in the 1940s and 1950s they moved to University Ave in St. Paul and Lake St. in Minneapolis, then there was a period in the 1960s and 1970s where many of them were clustered along the I-494 strip in Bloomington, and now they've mainly moved further out in the suburbs. Going way back in time, the original owner of the house across the street from me was a guy named Henry Goosman. He opened up an automobile garage downtown on Marquette Avenue way back in 1907, it was supposedly the very first place in Minneapolis built specifically for autos - before that people had to go to a blacksmith shop or a horse stable to have their cars worked on. The place was demolished long ago but it was awfully early in the history of the automobile. Besides repair work he also provided storage, and was a dealer for Glide and Speedwell cars.
Craig Breedlove, (RIP) I didn't realize he had passed in 2023 at 87 until I just googled his name, land speed record holder, jet cars, was running his operation out of an old twenties era Ford dealership in Rio Vista CA. It was on front street, but I don't remember which building it was. Goodguys had a shop tour one year and went there. Also I did a bank run to a suburb of Chicago twice, and the place I was doing my pick up was in a very nice well to do area. I noticed pictures of Model "T's" on the walls in the hallway. There was a plaque there that said the building was a Model "T" dealership back in the 20, and continued to sell cars into the 30's and maybe the 40's. I thought that was cool. There's a lot of history here where I live too. Lots of the buildings have the date they were built cast into the front, as well as some have the name of the original person that had them built cast into them. I hated history when I was in school, but now it's one of my favorite thing, starting when the USA became horseless and cars started to appear. Thanks for the history.
There's a building in downtown Minneapolis called the Ford Center. It was built in 1912 for use as a Model T assembly plant, these days it's office space. It's unusual in that it's ten stories tall - the original assembly line must have been interesting, traveling over all those different floors.
The corner building on the north end of Loring Park on Hennepin in Minneapolis was a Hupmobile dealership in the 20’s and 30’s.
I know the Ford building in downtown, did not know it was an actual Ford assembly plant for the Model T … thanks for that info Sadly, the Ford Model T plant in Saint Paul on University Ave. was just torn down last year to make way for a green space …. And of course the Ford plant in highland park is now long gone as well …
Yes, University Ave was still full of dealerships into 80s at least … maybe will take drive along there at some point to take photos of the buildings remaining… My dad loved taking drives when I was a kid, there were so many cool old used car dealers along Lake Street back in the late 70s/80s … I need to pay more attention the next time I drive along lake to see what remains … I think the original Big Wheel Auto parts store was the one on Lake? Seemed to be the go to spot for speed parts in its day!
Big Wheel sponsored a nationally competitive rail back in the day. I believe they were just east of Lyndale Ave on Lake St. The building is still there but it's been an Asian restaurant for many years. I used to shop there years ago, it's just a few blocks from me. The building is long gone. I was disappointed when the White Castle changed into a KFC early this year, now I have to drive out to Hopkins to get my slider fix.
I found an older story in a Ramsey County historical society newsletter about the history of car dealerships in the Midway district along University Ave. in St. Paul: https://rchs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/RCHS_Fall2012_Myers.pdf
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