As a follow up to a recent article in this Times Past column about car dealerships years ago that were in Greenfield, I’d like to remember a few others that were in town.
I received two letters from Donald LaShier, a resident of Smith Street in Greenfield who has an excellent memory that noted more of the dealerships that I had missed.
On lower end of Wells Street was Murray F. Hall, which sold Dodge and Plymouth vehicles. That building later on became the location of H.A. Knapp and Sons Hardware Store. Don Lorenz, of 369 Federal St., purchased the property from W. Cassidy Pontiac Cars to sell to add to his other General Motors products.
Elsewhere, the H.B. Allen Company sold International trucks from its location on upper Federal Street. In my previous column.
Two Packard car dealerships were located in Greenfield at different times, one was on the west side of lower Federal Street. Greenfield Cooperative Bank uses that building now. Peter Miller and Donny LaShier wrote to me about that. Chester Parda and Phyllis O’Hara McGuane McHugh told me there was one on the corner of Mill and Deerfield Street.
On the corner of Coombs Avenue and Man Street near the Ford dealership, there was another that sold the Edsel make of cars made by the Ford Motor Company. They moved that business to High Street and is now the location of Greenfield Farmers’ Coop Exchange. A Volkswagen line was added and it moved to Bernardston Road.
Petrin Nash Rambler was located where the bus terminal on Olive Street is now. It later became Petrin Toyota. Another, Daniel Motor Sales, which sold the Hudson line due to the collapse of AMC, went out of business.
American Motors at 38 Hope St. next to the Greenfield Recorder’s building was once Bostley Motor Co., which sold Dekota and Plymouth cars.
Behind the Ninety-Nine restaurant at 45 Colrain Road was Ruggeri’s, which sold Nissan cars and later became Country Hyundai before moving to Northampton.
Previously, the current Ford Toyota dealership was known by two other names: Gene Arthur and Sweeney Ford.
Additionally, in my column, I talked about the Weldon Garage on Federal Street. I have been told that Chrysler cars were sold out of it.
Hartwin Motor Sales on Beacon Street fist sold the Studebaker line. That company folded and then Chrysler Dodge and Plymouth was added to the firm.
The Lorenz Family managed a Honda franchise on Bernardston Road. The family built a new building on the corner of Silver and Federal streets and moved the Honda franchise from Bernardston Road into a building that Lundgren Motors now manages. They also are now owners of Brown Motors.
Rollin J. Farr Inc. was one of the earlier dealers that sold G.M. Products. Don Lorenz purchased that business.
Author’s note:I want to sincerely thank everyone for informing me of the older car dealerships in Greenfield years ago that I missed. Enjoy reading about these new additions. Greenfield had many choices when it came to buying a car.
Robert Bitzer, of Erving, is 93 years old. His stories are based on his own memory without research.