The American Car Dealership 
Product Description: - Ever since the automobile was made accessible to the masses, car dealerships have been special places where desires, sweaty palms, and that new-car smell are distilled into an intoxicating elixir of freedom and ownership. From Art Deco showrooms of the 30s to modern glass-walled superstores, this nostalgic road trip revisits the architecture, marketing, and business practices that have become inextricably associated with auto retailers.
A fascinating text accompanies an equally compelling collection of archival photography recalling past and present car dealer phenomena like new model previews and grand openings (i.e., soaped showroom windows, veiled cars, search lights), promotions and giveaways (banners, literature, buttons, pens, pedal cars, ashtrays, and anything else dealers could use to help make a sale), business practices from early-century animal trade-ins to today s refreshing Saturn-style service, customer relations and service centers, and nontraditional automotive outlets like Sears-Roebuck and hardware stores. Sidebars highlight innovative dealerships and those that have been in business for decades.
Customer Ratings: - Love the New Car Showroom!. This is the Best Nostalgic New Car Dealership book ever written! As a Baby Boomer I Lived in new car showrooms in the 50s, 60s, 70s to present day. As I was growing up in the 50s and 60s I couldn t wait for the Fall when all the new cars were secretly taken to the dealers awaiting the official unveiling for the world to see. I would be there on Announcement Day collecting car books and studying all the new features each car had to offer for the new model year. This Book allows me to relive those fabulous years and brings back so many wonderful memories. If you are a Baby Boomer and couldn t wait for the new cars to be displayed in the showrooms, this Book is for you! It is the Best book ever written on Car Dealerships loaded with pictures and amusing stories.
- I wish it had more.... This book was great if you re strictly interested in dealerships of the 30 s, 40 s, and 50 s. Every photo in the book was not realistic for today s society. I d have preferrred to have more information on how the dealerships of today are run.
- Excellent research and a wealth of information. An excellent source for anyone interested in the sometimes strange world of car dealers. Covers the history of car dealerships from the turn of the century to today. Chapters dealing with the design of a dealership and the history of famous and not so famous marques add to the over 130 black and white and 40 color photographs. Well written and fascinating. If you know a car nut this is the Christmas present of the year.
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The American Car Dealership (ID: 0760306397)
