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Grew up drooling in the front windows of this hot rod haven. They would build/order anything you wanted. Was the capital of the midwest for High Performance Chevy's.
Eddie
Semmes Motor Co.: 1927
Washington, D.C., circa 1927. "Cross trucks, Semmes Motor Co." Headquarters for Good Used Cars. National Photo Company glass negative.
Last edited by Frank.luvstingrays; 03-17-2011 at 06:25 PM.
That was my dad's dealership. The pics are from the Grand Opening of the new building. He bought the dealership in Le Mars, Iowa in 1958. The new building was built in 1963. He sold the dealership in 1970. The original dealership in Le Mars. Just unloaded a transport load of Corvettes.
Lots of Facebook groups on pretty much everything under the sun. Here's one. Warning, I've found all of these groups have lots and lots of posters, but you can always hide them and look in occasionally.
Hallman Chevrolet, in Rochester, NY. Opened in the 1930s, closed up in the late 80s, if I recall correctly. My father bought several cars there, over the years, and they had a parts department that was second to none.
Hallman Chevrolet, in Rochester, NY. Opened in the 1930s, closed up in the late 80s, if I recall correctly. My father bought several cars there, over the years, and they had a parts department that was second to none.
My Corvette came from Hallman's originally. Amazing art deco building still stands as a coffee shop today.
My Corvette came from Hallman's originally. Amazing art deco building still stands as a coffee shop today.
I have VERY mixed feelings about the former Hallman building. Yes it was nice that the local preservation society stepped in, and helped to keep at least the front part of the complex, the new car showroom portion, intact, even though it's now an "artsy-fartsy coffee house". However, it was A) a shame to see the dealership close, and B) to see the "back part" of the building, which housed the service department torn down, and it, along with the adjacent "back lot" of the dealership turned into town houses. The dealership's original "footprint" was VERY large, as they were one of the original "high volume" dealerships in the US.
I also have very fond memories of being able to sit in the 1957 Corvette SS race car, as a youngster, when the old time "Chevy Show", with all of the motorized displays and "exploding cars" came to Hallman's in the early 60s. The SS was part of the show cars, that year, and since my dad was "well connected" at the dealership, we got to see the show on the night before it officially opened. I was probably about 9 or 10 at the time, and the sales manager say me gazing at the SS, from a respectful distance, of course, and he asked if I wanted to sit in it.....
I have VERY mixed feelings about the former Hallman building. Yes it was nice that the local preservation society stepped in, and helped to keep at least the front part of the complex, the new car showroom portion, intact, even though it's now an "artsy-fartsy coffee house". However, it was A) a shame to see the dealership close, and B) to see the "back part" of the building, which housed the service department torn down, and it, along with the adjacent "back lot" of the dealership turned into town houses.
I'd bet the service building was severely contaminated such that repurposing it would have been cost prohibitive. Our local small town Chevy dealership moved from its old downtown location to a new lot about 20 years ago; the building and soil needed to be removed as hazardous waste. Not only was asbestos used throughout, decade after decade of oil/fuel/body shop materials seeping into the concrete and soil dictated the decision.
I'd bet the service building was severely contaminated such that repurposing it would have been cost prohibitive. Our local small town Chevy dealership moved from its old downtown location to a new lot about 20 years ago; the building and soil needed to be removed as hazardous waste. Not only was asbestos used throughout, decade after decade of oil/fuel/body shop materials seeping into the concrete and soil dictated the decision.
Good point, and I never really considered that. I was simply wrapped up in nostalgia, that an icon in the Rochester area's car culture was partially destroyed.
01-30-2011, 06:00 PM
bttt- back to the top
