How’s this for a glorious example of 1920s automobile dealership architecture? This was the McDaniel Motor Company showroom at 819 S. Brand Blvd, Glendale. The car parked out front looks to be a 1926 Nash, and you’ve got to love that price: $999.99 for brand new car. Where do I sign?
Jeff H. says: “Looking at historicaerials.com it was torn down relatively recently, between 2000 and 2003.”
The building was on the corner of S. Brand Blvd and Garfield Ave. This is how that corner looked i in December 2020:
That’s not the correct place in the 2021. It’s a used car lot and sadly (of course) the builing no longer exists. The nearest cross street is Garfield.
Correct, turns out to be South Brand (out of view, painted on north wall of shop structure by used car section). One hint is the hills seen in reflection of the windows behind a house and trees…it’s the Forest Lawn area where all drivers, good and bad, are welcome….eventually.
There were still some car lots and motorcycle dealers along this one stretch into the ’70’s at least. Before freeways, the roads meeting below here carried a heavy burden of commuter traffic that would have made this a prime spot for selling.
Great aviation theme in those panels, especially since early airports will be found just northwest of here.
Thanks Al. I have always liked Glendale as it reminds me of what I think a LA city was like back in the 20s and 30s. Don’t they have a great old movie palace on Brand street? I remember it having a great feel about it. I that airport you mentioned the one they used on a Shirley Temple movie when she sang Good Ship Lollipop?
Alex Theater, still extant, was the big one. A few are gone including the Glendale. Shirley hitched a ride to Grand Central Air Terminal, presumably along San Fernando Road (?), and her character’s mother got done in by a Pacific Electric bus. But what can a girl in a musical do but “Sing, sing, sing, sing, Everbody’s got to sing…”.
Thanks Stephen. I wasn’t at all sure, so I’ve updated this post.
$16,329.22 in today’s money…which still wouldn’t be bad!
I love it Martin, keep them coming. I wonder what make of automobile did they sell? I wonder what Glendale was like back then?
Once again the building is gone ( how sad).
Sorry Martin, I did not see the Nash sign hanging. I need to get better specks I guess.