Re: Packard Dealer Tags/Frames?

Posted by Dave Brownell On 2017/11/7 18:31:15

Oh how I'd like to have items like the Albrecht-Burke and other St. Louis items displayed here. I grew up in St. Louis, post war, and each of the pieces has a meaning for me.

Albrecht-Burke was probably the healthiest and longest surviving Packard dealer. My aunt lived a short distance away, and when I was about ten or so, I would walk across the street to that dealership on DeGiverville Avenue to look at the 55-56s on their lot on Sunday afternoons. I fail to remember how long, post-1956, they continued to sell Packards or Studebakers. My aunt moved and that attraction disappeared from my sight. Much later, that building was used to sell Cushman scooters of all types.

A-B moved into the more modern Obermeier Packard building sometime in the early fifties, I believe. Note the bottle opener with Obermeier on it. A-B previously had a large showroom on Kingshighway that was later converted to a Mark IV air conditioner dealer installation center. That newer late-40s styled Obermeierb building fit A-B customers very nicely.

Berry Motors on Locust Street (downtown auto row) was both a dealer and Packard Distributer. That's where my grandmother bought all of her Packards until she switched over to Buicks. That building is now gentrified into The Packard Lofts.

Someday, I'd like to get a photo of all three of my Packards in front of The Lofts, possibly the last remaining St. Louis dealership. Until then, these momentos are wonderful to see again, triggering pleasant memories.