After some comments about Casa de Cadillac, CC reader Don W. sent me a link to an article about the recent restoration of that landmark on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks (LA). This classic early-googie style building was built in 1949, with the same font style as used on that year’s new Cadillacs.There was a “huge fight” with Cadillac about keeping the block-lettering “CADILLAC” neon sign on the tower, as it’s obviously not the one currently used. But in the end, GM relented, and the old-school signage will blaze into the future as it has for so many decades. Here’s how it looked at Christmas 1955 at night:
Wouldn’t you like to step into that picture?
Or would you rather pick up a 1959? Casa de Cadillac has been in the same family since the early sixties, and is now being run by the second generation.
Here’s how that script looked on the cars, this being from the 1950 Cadillac Series 61 coupe.
The original terazzo floors have been kept, and new thick windows in the original size have replaced the smaller ones installed after the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
The original owners also had two other “casas” on the same corner; the Casa de Cascade Car Wash, and the Casa de Petrol, famous for being the site of James Dean’s last pit stop before he headed north to his death in his Porsche in 1955.
Needless to say, I passed by the casa quite a few times during our brief residence in the beautiful San Fernando Valley, and am glad to see that Cadillac relented on its sign. I wouldn’t have wanted to write this up as a DS!
It is cool because it has been there for so long, personally I would have loved the “CADILLAC” (all by itself on the tower) to have a neon 1950s “Cadillac Crest” on it. But that’s a personally preference I’m no architect or graphic designer.
Do the car wash and gas station still exist?
I pass this intersection on my way to work every day. The gas station and car wash still exist but they are no longer branded as “casa de.”
Check the internet for a clip of Arnold Swartznegger’s movie “Commando” where his character “borrows” a car from the showroom and drives through the plate glass windows.
Yes, in the begining of the movie Bill Duke steals a FWD Fleetwood d’Elegance out of the showroom, running over the salesman.
Nicely done, Paul. A magical Christmas pic, wouldn’t you have loved to have that Eldorado under your tree?
Thanks again for the suggestion, Don. I didn’t know if you use your full name here, so I abbreviated it.
You’re entirely welcome. This was the perfect combination of mid-century architecture, nicely restored, and the Cadillac heritage. I had a feeling it was prime CC material, glad to see it promoted a lively discussion.
Your Christmas photo instantly put Eartha Kitt’s sultry voice in my ear, singing “Santa Baby”. “A ’54 convertible too, light blue….”
I love this architecture! I consider it modernized art deco. That’s one of the reasons I still love “The Jetsons” – the styles!
It’s too bad everything now has to conform to certain community standards. For example, in my community – township is what it is, Walmart and even White Castle had to alter their building designs to reflect an upscale image!
Not that it’s a bad thing, because while prosperous businesses can afford nice designs, mom & pop shops can’t, and glorified pole-barn corrugated steel buildings just don’t cut it.
Got to keep up appearances.
I do a pretty good job of it, as I’m not real well-off, but I fake it quite nicely!
Upscale White Castle… talk about a contradiction in terms…
May I interest you in a bag of Sliders Sir?
next time you are in Las Vegas check out the Neon Museum, the visitor’s center is the (moved) restored Googie style former LaConcha Motel lobby designed by the famous Paul Revere Williams.
Casa de Cadillac was my “first” Cadillac dealership. Growing up in the Valley, we drove by it often and knew a family that bought their Cadillacs there every few years. I don’t think there was another dealer in the Valley in those days. Much later on I had a stepmother who had gotten a new Cadillac every two years since the 60s and dealt only with Casa de Cadillac even thought she had moved over the hill in the late 70s. Her last one was in the late 90s. How’s that for customer loyalty?
I didn’t know that about the sign. I think they were right to stick to their guns.To me, Casa de Cadillac had more “image” than any of the other dealers in the L.A. area (and there were quite a few).
The Felix Chevy dealership is still there by USC, of course, but none of the other dealers in and around LA is especially distinctive, although the new MINI and Audi dealerships I’ve seen recently are nice (though corporate).
I get over that way once in a while and have noticed the “Casa”…I’m glad Cadillac let them keep more of a local and less-corporate identity, I think that’s something that should be encouraged (where tasteful) and not discouraged. A Cadillac dealer should look like a distinctive place to do business, and not a box with Cadillacs.
Alas, the Lou Ehlers Cadillac showroom on Wilshire, with its big script “Cadillac” on the facade, is no more. 🙁
Then there’s Martin Cadillac in Santa Monica, a huge place where my mother took her ’77 Coupe de Ville for service. It was built on the site of the Olympic Drive-In at Olympic and Bundy, another distinctive L.A. landmark that was sadly torn down in the 70’s to make way for Martin’s facility.
I had wondered how this place was going to skirt around having to remodel in whatever corporate dealership image GM is pimping at the time, glad to know that there was some common sense, I’m all for improvements, but it’s also important to realize when something should be left alone.
Awesome, I’ve never seen it in person, I am going to have to make a pilgrimage there when I find myself in California again.
It impressive to think that this place has managed to survive through the many fat and many lean years at Cadillac, in California to boot, and now with new products in the pipeline, it’s great to see that it will be around for the next renaissance at Cadillac.
The part of my heart that loves historic preservation is going boom, boom, boom.
Casa de Cadillac always reminded me of President Reagan. Maybe because they were both old survivors from California. Or the fact that Reagan used to use Spanish phrases like “mi casa es su casa” or, for the naming of his ranch in Santa Barbara, “Rancho del Cielo” (Ranch of the Sky). You could imagine Casa de Cadillac sticking in his mind all those years directing his choice of Spanish words.
I am not 100% sure but believe the presidential limo changed from Lincoln to Cadillac during the Reagan administration. I could see the Gipper in a 50s Cadillac. Here he is campaigning for governor in a ’66.
I was at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley yesterday and the limousine on display next to Air Force One is a Cadillac.
I’m looking forward to my first visit next month, must be a great show. I knew RR used Caddy limos but am not sure if that changed with his presidency or if Carter used Caddys too. From Paul’s terrific piece on the ’65 Continental I know LBJ was a Lincoln guy and assumed he stuck with those after Kennedy. Not sure about Nixon, Ford and Carter, though it would make sense for Ford to use a Lincoln 😉
There is a special exhibit on LIncoln that runs through September at the Reagan Library – an added bonus if you visit next month. In addition to a large number of Lincoln items from private and museum collections, several sets from the Spielberg film are on display.
Recall that Reagan was riding in a Lincoln on the day he was shot outside the HIlton. I think the White House garage held an array of cars that included both LIncolns and Cadillacs during the years of many of these presidents. Of course it was even more diverse during the Kennedy years when they also had a 1960 Ghia Imperial limousine used by Jackie.
Thanks for the tip, nice to see two of our finest presidents honored at the same place. The shooting happened at the beginning of Reagan’s presidency before we had a chance to see him much in limos and make an association. Later he often appeared in a Brougham-era Cadillac, dark blue I believe, with the flags.
I wasn’t sure if the car at the Hinckley shooting was a Lincoln or Cadillac. If a Lincoln that would be two presidents shot in or near one and something like that would have put Nancy over the edge. She was quite superstitious. I could see her banishing all Lincoln limos from the fleet after that.
Definitely a Lincoln – on display at the Henry Ford Museum:
http://www.thehenryford.org/museum/limousines.aspx
The Secret Service tends to order new limos for delivery in time for Inauguration Day, meaning that any new president is still running an Iowa/New Hampshire primary campaign while the final details of “their new car” are being hammered out.
New limos for a new President are a more recent thing, Regan was still using Nixon/Ford era Lincoln when he was sworn in and shot, the new Cadillac limo was a result of Regan’s shooting, the Secret Service embarked on a crash program to update the Presidential Parade limo.
Presidential Limos were kept around forever sometimes, the infamous Kennedy Lincoln was kept in service until 1978. Nixon used it in his inauguration.
The White House garage used to contain a pretty good mix of Lincoln and Cadillacs for years. The Presidential Limo was a Lincoln from FDR through Regan, but the Secret Service escort cars were always usually Cadillacs, as were the more low key, but still armored limos that were used for visiting heads of state and members of the Cabinet, those were almost always armored Cadillac Fleetwood 75 limos, but not anymore, they’ve gone all Cadillac and Suburban.
The White House also used Imperials for the first lady. Mamie Eisenhower preferred Chrysler Imperials and according to White House Usher, JB West, got a new one each year (not sure that is correct). The White House leased the 1960 Ghia Imperial for Jackie that she used throughout the 1000 days and for the funeral.
http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1960/Kennedy/
I really miss the days of these beautiful limousines but it is clear why they are no more and instead we have these armored boxy vehicles for the President and his family. It is difficult to understand today that the JFK Lincoln was not even armored until it was returned to Hess and Eisenhardt for modifications after the assassination.
To Carmine,
I can attest to that when the prez came into Seattle, and came UP I-5 a couple of years ago, he came in and took the 520 bridge to Redmond, I think to MIcrosoft or some house up that way, and I managed to get home just in time to run upstairs to my apartment from work, grab the camera and get photos of the convoy heading up the shut down freeway.
They did use Caddies and Suburbans, and all looked to be recent models too.
Careful you do not get shot by snipers!
Beautiful!
Just imagine how many movie stars and studio execs this place saw in the fifties, sixties and seventies before the import cars took over.
Imagine all the beautiful cars that were first presented there!
1953 Eldorado – 1956 Eldorado Brougham – 1959 everything – 1967 Eldorado – 1974 Fleetwood Talisman – 1976 Seville – 1979 Eldorado – 1980 Seville – etc., etc.
Sounds like an inventory of Carmine’s garage! 😉
My former boss worked there for years before opening his own shop. He had many great stories about the celebrities coming in and out of Casa De Cadillac. Old school celebrities we could look up to, not what we have now. Classy place for sure! Thanks for the memories Oren Prosser!!!
So refreshing to get some good news for a change. I’ve driven past this Casa many times, and always appreciated that it was one of great old (well, by SoCal standards) pieces of distinctive local architecture that hasn’t been ripped down yet. There can’t be too many car dealerships in the entire world that could conceivably achieve status as “Of Historical Importance” or similar official designation for their architectural interest, but Casa de Cadillac is definitely one of them. Glad to hear it’s been given a Cadillac-quality refresh that preserves everything that was good about it in the first place. Contrary to what the modernizers in Detroit might think, the retro appearance of this location will sell MORE Caddies, not less.
Did you see what happened over at Crestview Cadillac in West Covina, off of the 10? Earlier this year it was “remodeled” to bring it up to current Cadillac standards and that meant losing “The Dome”. That landmark structure, seen by millions of commuters every week, is now gone.
Casa de Cadillac must have put up quite a fight.
I can’t believe they made them take that down…so awesome. The deadly sins haven’t ended yet!
To paraphrase President Reagan, “Well, there they go again.” I can’t believe they did that to Crestview. I lived a mile or two from Crestview in the early 1980s and always thought that structure was so cool.
Absolutely beautiful. I still think that Cadillac should consider going back to one of the more graceful or muscular styles of lettering on the cars.
There used to be an old Cadillac dealership just north of downtown Indianapolis into the 80s, and the back side was all brick and limestone with a huge early ’50s style sign made of Cadillac block letters, and the V and crest may have been there too. I cannot find a picture, but the sign came down quite a few years ago after the dealership moved way north.
It is not so amazing to me that GM allowed Casa de Cadillac to keep its old look. What is amazing to me is that Cadillac did not force a change in 1962 or 1969 or 1973. Nobody would have really cared then, and we would today have just another Cadillac dealer. I love it that this one never changed.
I find it funny how GM can have a “hissy fit” over the Cadillac block lettering, yet constantly keeps reminding us of how great their cars were in the ’50s and ’60s.
That Christmas photo is truly a “December to Remember.” I’d love to step into the 1966 photo and make a purchase.
+100
Now if Cadillac could just produce handsome cars again and regain the reputation. Today it is an insignificant brand making trucks, SUV’s, station wagons, sport cars; everything but luxury cars.
Another landmark Cadillac dealer in the Los Angeles area was Bob Spreen. “A Beautiful Place to Lease or Buy a Beuatiful Car. Bob Spreen Cadillac, where the freeways meet in Downey.”
“Where the freeways met in Downey” – that line is deeply imbedded in my brain. Lou Elhers had a dome on their resale lot and I think Neil Lehr did too.
I always thought it was classy to have the dealership named after a person’s full name. In the South Bay it was Ronald Moran Cadillac (now part of the Penske group). It had a super cool 60s look with an enormous showroom. Now it looks like the Taj Mahal.
Down the street Martin Chevrolet, a landmark for years on Hawthorne Blvd., was just remodeled. Unbelievably they got rid of the columns.
Wasn’t Ronald Moran Cadillac the dealership in the original “Gone In 60 Seconds”?
“I don’t know how to tell you this, but they’ve taken out the whole front row!”
My parents live close to Martin Chevrolet. It looks like they have given in to GM “corporate image” architecture. Hopefully, there wont be a name change to the generic sounding “South Bay Chevrolet”, typical of most dealerships today.
I couldnt find a good picture of Moran Cadilac, but here is an image from the original “Gone in 60 Seconds” (1974).
Yes that’s it. I forgot about it being in GW60. The look reminded me of the original Caesars Palace. The old “domes” gave me the same impression. Modern dealerships look like the “new” Caesars.
Wow! Hadn’t thought about Bob Spreen in years. I can’t even remember what the building looked like. Who could with that amazing round showcase-canopy thing upstaging it.
Did a quick Google street view. The buildings are there, but the place is vacant. (Try 10686 Studebaker Rd.Downey)
Yeah, went to Google Earth, and it’s indeed vacant, but the canopy out front is still there though.
Sad, really, though I wonder if Bob Spreen closed recently if the photo is any indication as the hedges looked nicely trimmed still.
Wow, that’s awesome, is that place still around? It looks like a Worlds Fair display!!
All it needs is a narrator……
“Come and enter the world of Consolidated Wax…..at the Waxorama….”
This made me try and find a picture on the web of Novak Cadillac in downtown Omaha, NE. The building wasn’t as nice as Casa, but still had a ’40s or early ’50s vibe with script lettering on top of a sidewalk cover with the dealer name on it. Windows were close to the street like Casa. It always looked like an important place, steeped in tradition. Almost like an exclusive jewelry store.
From some court documents on the web, it looks like Novak Cadillac filed for bankruptcy in 1985, apparently the V-8-6-4, the diesel and the Cimarron were too much for it. At some point, the Cadillac franchise moved to be part of a large west Omaha Chevy franchise. Absolutely sprawling complex, nothing personal about it.
I like unique or hole in the wall dealerships. I’ve traded some at a tiny Ford dealership in Ashland, NE. It sits on the Main street in possibly a pre WWII building. One car showroom! But, the place has some personality, and feels a lot more personal. The owner called me a month after I bought a car and asked if I was enjoying it. You’ll never get that from a 25 dealer chain with the latest corporate store look!
Oh they still do that, although the execution doesn’t always work as planned which you wouldn’t get in the place you are talking about. My father received regular correspondence two years after he sold one car (owned very briefly as a successful speculative purchase), he gave up on telling them he no longer had it.
Dave, I live in Omaha, and worked for Novak Cadillac in the early 80’s. Ron Huber was the Chevy dealer that bought the Cadillac franchise out on 114th & West Dodge. The Original Cadillac dealership was built in 1951, opening for the 1952 model year. 3 floors for service and parts. It originally was Bernard Bros. Cadillac and Noval bought them out in `55. Before they closed, I found a B&W snapshot of the front of the dealership taken at the Grand Opening in March of `52 at night–the neon Caddy script and lettering matched what the cars had! It even had a `52 Series 75 limousine on the show floor! And of course, huge pots of flowers everywhere; a very elegant setting.
That’s what a Caddy dealership SHOULD look like…
My dad bought several cars from Casa de Cadillac. Spent a few afternoons there with him while he was negotiating for his next car.
He ended up liking Cadillacs so much that he bought the Cadillac dealer in St. George, Utah, and owned it for almost 10 years in the 1980s.
Nice distinctive building. I believe a long standing, high-selling dealer like Casa de Cadillac still had some clout with GM, especially after the ’09 bankruptcy. Wonder if Elvis bought any Caddies there? I know he usually bought his SoCal Caddies at Hillcrest in Beverly Hills and sometimes in Culver City (near the MGM studios) . . . but if he couldn’t find what he wanted, I believe he’d dispatch his minions to various L.A. dealers to grab one, two, three, fifteen (Thomas Bros. in L.A.?)
“Get me a bakers dozen of Coupe deVilles for the boys…..and an Eldorado for the Colonel…..and some donuts….little white powdered donuts….”
Supposedly Elvis bought some Cadillacs at the now defunct Lou Ehlers Cadillac in LA too.
I don’t believe Elvis did, but I know that Ike and Tina Turner did. Usually a bronze Fleetwood Brougham. I loved riding in them when they brought them in for trade ins.
IMO the Cadillac block letters on the raised section perpendicular to the street, or something like them, should be what the whole division uses now. The current cursive wordmark is too much a holdover from the Brougham era, while as cool as the ’49 script is it’s too heavily associated with ’80s fifties retro to look right on a 2013 car (that being said, it most certainly belongs on the building!)
I agree, the cursive is all wrong for the “art and science” styling. That block-lettered logo would look strong on a Cadillac’s sharply tailored suit.
A far better fate than the ex-dealership now gym in Bellevue, Wash., home of Microsoft. I’m amazed they allow those logos to stay up on the building.
They usually don’t stay on the dealership, the signs never really belong to the dealer, they are leased from GM through GM-DI(General Motors Dealer Identification), I remember that it usually was a pain in the ass to fix the sign since you had to use a contractor that was approved by them.
I wonder if any GM dealer still has the little rotating GM “cube” working in their sign, last I saw, most dealers had them removed from the sign, leaving an awkward hole where it used to be.
Now that I look at the picture more closely, it looks like that sign belonged to the dealer, I sort of looks like a GM-DI sign, but I dont think it is, which probably explains why its still there.
I wonder if they use this script for the dealer call-out on the back of the cars they sell?
While the architecture makes Casa extra special, there mere fact that GM lets it continue as a stand-alone Cadillac dealership makes it distinctive enough right there. Lately I am seeing Chevy-Cadillac pairings where all the exterior architecture and color scheme is pure Chevy, making it look like they kinda-sorta sell Cadillacs as an afterthought.
There was a huge fight with Cadillac to keep the block lettering. That goes to show you that today’s “Cadillac” – and the rest of GM as well, don’t really care about their own history. But at least the dealership won that battle, and looks just as it did. Even if the cars inside are new trend mobiles fit for xxxxxs.
As a right-coaster generally unfamiliar with Los Angeles, Casa de Cadillac was well-known to me from watching too much “Sale of the Century” with Jim Perry in the early 1980s. It is such a catchy aliterative name that was oft repeated as they supplied the top prize for the longest time. And of course seeing the building decades retaining its integrity really instills a sense of nostalgia for a time when Cadillac was still rightfully holding its head proud. The architecture is the archetype of many dealerships in the golden age of motoring, and its preservation intact including original signage underscores Cadillac greatness in those times. Ten years on from when this article was first published, Cadillac is going through yet another reset as it transitions to electric powerplants and higher end models. Though the sign may be an anachronism, it is important to instill the successes of one’s past for the decisions in one’s future. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Even though Cadillac contributed to planned obsolescece through the annual model changes, for the longest time, the cars were built to last like any fine luxury product. The original design imparts this sense of excellence. I wonder if General Motors sees that retaining the signage was a prudent decision? I am sure the standard contemporary corporate stuff is all over the lot and on the inside, but everything about this building highlights the glorious past that is Cadillac.
Anyone remember Neil Lehr Cadillac in Northridge (on Reseda Blvd)? I think Neil opened that dealership in the mid to late 1960’s. It doesn’t exist anymore.