Stillman & Hoag Inc., Buick has a building facade appearance that would still look good into the 1970s, as Buick now also used a similar serif typeface in their marketing.
Mid-County Buick, from 1966, using the Buick script logo that dated from the early part of the century. Combined with the busy-looking signage frame work, and 1920s style architecture, lends a dated, out-of-style look to the dealership.
See two “used cars” in “Hatboro PA” that would a got my interest. Thinking “S&H Buick”, in “NJ” used to be something else, before it became a “car showroom”.
That white car next to the showroom looks to a “convert”. I’d a been drawn to it.
The Stillman & Hoag building does look like it used to be something else (like a restaurant), but I think it was actually built as a Buick showroom.
The image below is from the showroom’s 1962 Grand Opening… from the image it appears that the glass showroom was attached to an older building with a Quonset hut shape, which I’m guessing was the dealership’s older building.
I grew up not far from Hatboro, PA, so I was familiar with the Hewitt Buick location. Hatboro had been a small town that was eventually melded in with the Philadelphia suburbs, but it retained its main street (York Rd.) pretty well intact. Several car dealers used to be located on York Rd., including the Buick dealer, and a Dodge dealer immediately across the street. These dealerships were on pretty small lots (2-3 acres maybe) and had small showrooms that could hold maybe 3 cars, but the location was good, so they stayed.
Hewitt Buick was sold in the early 1980s, and became O’Neil Buick. Shortly afterwards, O’Neil moved the business to a new, larger facility about 3 mi. to the north. It’s still there.
The Dodge dealer across the street actually hung in there until about 10 years ago.
The Buick building became a used car dealer for a while, and then the showroom area was a pizza place, and the rear (service) areas continued in automotive uses. Looks like that’s basically what it’s used as today. The building is still there, and it seems the parking lots are still used car lots.
I liked the “Opel’s” a lot. As a “clueless kid”, the service issues and ‘propensity” to rust didn’t really get through to me.
Until….. the neighbors “Opel wagon” disappeared to the dealer for months on “69”.
I was “old enough” to pick up on the fact that the car had to wait for parts.
I believe it was “tranny” issues.
Terry Buick, Huntington Beach CA. My ’69 was sold through them.
Not my photo, it’s courtesy of Chris Andrada who was kind enough to forward them to me.
Fred Hughes Buick in Abilene, Texas circa 1969. Very modern and classy, befitting the cars they sold (and they sold a lot of them). The ’71 Electra in Australia that’s been featured on this site was sold here.
Morris Buick in Detroit: Hadda look it up–
Stillman & Hoag Inc., Buick has a building facade appearance that would still look good into the 1970s, as Buick now also used a similar serif typeface in their marketing.
Mid-County Buick, from 1966, using the Buick script logo that dated from the early part of the century. Combined with the busy-looking signage frame work, and 1920s style architecture, lends a dated, out-of-style look to the dealership.
See two “used cars” in “Hatboro PA” that would a got my interest. Thinking “S&H Buick”, in “NJ” used to be something else, before it became a “car showroom”.
That white car next to the showroom looks to a “convert”. I’d a been drawn to it.
The Stillman & Hoag building does look like it used to be something else (like a restaurant), but I think it was actually built as a Buick showroom.
The image below is from the showroom’s 1962 Grand Opening… from the image it appears that the glass showroom was attached to an older building with a Quonset hut shape, which I’m guessing was the dealership’s older building.
“The Stillman & Hoag building does look like it used to be something else (like a restaurant)”
Prehistoric Pizza Hut.
I grew up not far from Hatboro, PA, so I was familiar with the Hewitt Buick location. Hatboro had been a small town that was eventually melded in with the Philadelphia suburbs, but it retained its main street (York Rd.) pretty well intact. Several car dealers used to be located on York Rd., including the Buick dealer, and a Dodge dealer immediately across the street. These dealerships were on pretty small lots (2-3 acres maybe) and had small showrooms that could hold maybe 3 cars, but the location was good, so they stayed.
Hewitt Buick was sold in the early 1980s, and became O’Neil Buick. Shortly afterwards, O’Neil moved the business to a new, larger facility about 3 mi. to the north. It’s still there.
The Dodge dealer across the street actually hung in there until about 10 years ago.
The Buick building became a used car dealer for a while, and then the showroom area was a pizza place, and the rear (service) areas continued in automotive uses. Looks like that’s basically what it’s used as today. The building is still there, and it seems the parking lots are still used car lots.
StreetView here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DcPRcGH2UvYaJw4i6
So many glorious Buicks ! .
-Nate
I do remember the Opel center stage in the top photo.
There were a fair number of Opels in NOLA when I was growing up, especially Opel Mantas.
I liked the “Opel’s” a lot. As a “clueless kid”, the service issues and ‘propensity” to rust didn’t really get through to me.
Until….. the neighbors “Opel wagon” disappeared to the dealer for months on “69”.
I was “old enough” to pick up on the fact that the car had to wait for parts.
I believe it was “tranny” issues.
Terry Buick, Huntington Beach CA. My ’69 was sold through them.
Not my photo, it’s courtesy of Chris Andrada who was kind enough to forward them to me.
Fred Hughes Buick in Abilene, Texas circa 1969. Very modern and classy, befitting the cars they sold (and they sold a lot of them). The ’71 Electra in Australia that’s been featured on this site was sold here.
The Skylark Custom hardtop on the right could almost be mine. Signal Red, white vinyl roof and white walls.