Auburn-Cord manufactured slick roadsters during the first few decades of the 20th century. What we’re seeing here is their L.A. showroom at 3443 Wilshire Blvd, circa early 1930s (if that Ford Model A in the foreground is anything to go by.) The photographer would have been standing half a block west of the driveway to the Ambassador Hotel and could have crossed the street to have lunch at the Brown Derby. That impressive tower was part of the neighboring Wilshire Christian Church (known today as Oasis Church) at Normandie Ave.
The Auburn-Cord showroom building is still there, but doesn’t quite look the same. This satellite image from January 2020 shows how at stretch of Wilshire is dominated by the huge Equitable building. On the far right, that pale terracotta dome is what’s left of the original Brown Derby, which has been incorporated into a mini mall.
Martin. Have you run across any other car dealer photo’s? I would sure love to see them.
Hi John, this one comes to mind
https://martinturnbull.com/2018/11/02/don-lees-cadillac-dealership-and-w6xao-television-broadcasting-station-7th-and-bixel-streets-downtown-los-angeles-circa-early-1930s/
John/ Martin
The Clock Market in Beverly Hills started as a grocery store, became a De Soto showroom and then eventually Porsche/Audi. Today it is the home of Lamborghini and Bentley. Lots of pictures are available on Google but this is a good link too http://beverlyhillsporsche.blogspot.com/2009/10/clock-market-always-good-time-to-buy.html. The building is very much intact and in beautiful shape.
Also, The Don Lee Cadillac / La Salle dealership building in Pasadena is also very much still intact and is now home to a local commercial florist. The building marquee with the Cadillac logo is even still there A quick google search will also easily return images.
Thanks for chiming in! I’ll look more closely the next time I pass that Lamborghini/Bentley showroom.
Eagle Rock’s site has some car/gas/oil shots along Colorado. Glendale shots should be easy to find. Burbank? Water & Power has a lot of the valley in general. And background of PE/LARy shots might reveal dealerships that they pass by.
There’s another possible Auburn/Cord dealership just east of Vine on Hollywood. An image in a slide was posted on Skyscraper NoirLA pages, just beyond the Pantages theater on the north side as a sign over a building. But it’s not clear if that’s just a billboard or an actual location.
l would love to know where the Studebaker Dealership was in LA or surrounding area. I have a 1933 Studebaker that came fro that area but have never seen any photo’s of it. I did hear it was sold more in the Hollywood area.
Can anyone help????
John – I suggest contacting the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Blvd. I would imagine they’d have that sort of info.