My impression is that the single-brand dealerships were always more common in the US due to their larger and stronger market. I believe that Canada had mostly combined-brand dealerships (i.e. Acadian-Beaumont-Pontiac-Buick-GMC or Chevrolet-Oldsmobile-Cadillac for example) because of our smaller market. Most of the volume was in the lower priced brands, like Chevrolet and Pontiac, so an Olds or Buick stand alone would have a harder time surviving, except in larger markets like Toronto. Also, in Canada Chevy and Pontiac were priced very closely whereas in the US Pontiac was definitely a step up in GM's hierarchy.
Here are a few pics of stand-alone dealerships in the US that I found on the net.
Both places are newer buildings now. My uncle bought his 69 Beaumont convertible from Ted Davy sometime in the '70s.
in between both of them at 999 still stands the remnants of another dealer. It was Toronto Honda in the '70s.
Prior to Toronto Honda, the original dealer that was at that address was Empire Motors(Ford-Monarch-Edsel), then John Harvey Motors[Ford-Edsel](their sign became the Harvey's restaurant logo), then VW, then Datsun on Danforth, and finally Toronto Honda.
-- Edited by 1320itt on Saturday 1st of September 2018 12:27:29 PM
That's funny. All those dealers wound up a little east at 2300 Danforth. Was a VW dealer in the sixties. Then changed to a Datsun dealer which morphed into Dentonia Ford. Finally Honda moved there in the eighties after Ford build a new place at Main and Danforth. Only to go bust in 81-2. Building now stands as a Shoppers on the north. With the used car lot on the south side as a Sobeys.
Which makes me ask where was Mainway ?
Those dealers were all at 2300. I was curious what was at 999 Danforth ? This was Toronto Honda in the later '70s until they moved to 2300.
Hamilton-Stiles( Triumph) in 1957. It was also a Renault dealer. They became a Rambler dealer in the 60s. It became Motron Motors(Mazda) in the early 70s and then Toronto Honda.
.....a very reliable source tells me this is NOT the same Belmont as the Belmont Chev on Lawrence Ave., West
Your source is wrong. They are the same Belmont with the same dealership principal. It began as an Oldsmobile dealership and became a Chev-Olds dealer in 1960. The legal name of Belmont was Belmont Motors of Ontario Ltd. (2359 Danforth Ave) originally.
-- Edited by 1320itt on Sunday 2nd of September 2018 09:22:18 AM
-- Edited by 1320itt on Sunday 2nd of September 2018 09:25:39 AM
-- Edited by 1320itt on Sunday 2nd of September 2018 09:29:30 AM
Wonder if it was the same situation as Hogans. They moved out to the suburbs to a much larger location.
When did Robertson start ? Perhaps they put pressure for them to move out ?
Wonder if it was the same situation as Hogans. They moved out to the suburbs to a much larger location. When did Robertson start ? Perhaps they put pressure for them to move out ?
Robertson opened in 1950.
Gorries moved to Golden Mile when they simply ran out of space at their downtown location. I am sure that is the same situation with Hogan. Keep in mind the high property taxes are a huge factor too.
