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At
the turn of the twentieth century the dependence on the horse
and buggy was about to change. Niles already had interurban street
cars that ran between Niles and Mineral Ridge, Warren and McKinley
Heights. The appearance of the motor-car was about to change the
living style of families — travel to work, church, downtown
even vacations.
Prominent in the foreground of Carmella's Confectionery,
located at 7 South Main Street, is one of the first Fords purchased
in Niles, ca 1906. PO1.244 |
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A
listing of some of the car dealerships in Niles. The Great Depression
caused many car
businesses to close and sell-off
their inventory
at a huge loss.
Cook and Baker
265 North Main — Oldsmobile
Humphries-Barker 1121 North
Main Plymouth — DeSoto
Hake Motor Co. 116 West Federal Street —
Buick
Pritchard Motors 319 Robbins Avenue — Dodge-Plymouth
Shiveley Sales and Service 327 Robbins Avenue
— Ford
Brooks Motor Sales 1121 North
Main — Dodge-Plymouth
C.H. Stiver 236 North
Main — Chevrolet
Dean & Best 100 West Federal Street —
Oldsmobile
Park Auto 148 North Main
— Pontiac
P&G Auto Sales — Willys
Johnny Pressel Motor Sales — Chrysler-Plymouth
E.C. Dugan — DeSoto-Plymouth |
The
Peerless brand was advertised and sold by Mullett Motor Sales
located at 236 North Main Street. Peerless went out of business
during the Great Depression.
The Nash was sold by J.E. Heatman, Inc.
located at 148 State Street across from Central Park (Dairy Queen
area). Nash went out of business in the 1950s.
Ray DeLaney, Inc. took over the Ford
Dealership from R.A. Axelson at 329 Robbins Avenue.
R.A. Axelson opened a used car dealership
on North Main Street that went out of business in 1931 as a result
of the Great Depression. |
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Sample newpaper car advertisements. |
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The DeJute Building at 236 North Main Street
was built in 1928. C.H. Stiver sold Chevrolets
at this location, then moved across the street. A Desoto-Plymouth
dealership was then located here.
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New location for C.H. Stiver dealership. |

The Pritchard Building was located
at 319 Robbins Avenue and
Pritchard Motors sold Dodge-Plymouth
cars at this location.
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The Sigler Building, built in 1919, is located
at the intersection of Robbins and Mahoning Avenues.
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One of the many businesses that occupied the
Sigler Building was Johnny Pressell Motor Sales
during the 40’s and 50’s. Johnny sold Chrysler and
Plymouth automobiles in the front with a service department in
the back.PO11.382 |

A 1954 advertisement for the Chrysler
Imperial. |
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The Sigler Building was razed in 2019. |

Looking down Robbins from Pressell’s was
Herb Stein Lincoln-Mercury Sales. Dealers kept their new cars
hidden until the presentation of the new model year in September.
I remember peeking into Stein’s garage
on Hartzell to see the new Lincoln or Mercury cars. These were
the years when each automobile had its own design with fins, chrome,
dual headlights and more to make it standout and be more desireable
to the car buyers. |

Advertisement for the 1954 Mercury
on sale at Herb Stein's Linciln-Mercury dealership.
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The Pritchard Building was razed
in 2019.
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Advertisement for Fleck Pontiac.
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The Pritchard Building is located
at 319 Robbins Avenue and
Pritchard Motors sold Dodge-Plymouth
cars at this location.
In the '50s and 'early '60s, Fleck
Pontiac would occupy this building with a dealership.
Ray DeLaney, Inc. took
over the Ford Dealership from R.A. Axelson at 329 Robbins
Avenue. Later, Shivley Sales and Service
would sell Fords at 327 Robbins Avenue.
In the '50s Bonaquist
Motors would sell Dodge and Plymouth automobiles at
this location.
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The ‘Best’ Story — Les
Best
Otis Best started fixing
cars in 1923 with Harry Mullett, owner of Mullett Motor
Sales located at 236 North Main Street. Harry first sold Star-Durant
automobiles then later sold DeSoto, Plymouth and the Peerless
brands. In 1931 Peerless went out of business during the Great
Depression.
In March 1931 Otis Best and Harry
Dean formed a partnership, Dean and Best General Repair
Shop located at 1121 North Main Street where North Road forms
a triangle shaped lot. Later, they moved their repair shop to
100 West Federal Street.(Note, The street address later changed
to 100 East Federal when Main Street rather than Vienna Avenue
began to be used for mailing addresses).
An Oldsmobile franchise was awarded
to Dean and Best in October 1941 at the 100 West Federal address.
As written in their partnership agreement, neither Best nor
Dean could buy out the other partner’s share of the dealership,
so in 1948 Smith-Sherwood bought the Oldsmobile franchise from
Dean and Best. Sherwood bought Smith’s interest and the
dealership became Sherwood Oldsmobile in 1950.
Otis Best had begun working at
Stiver Chevrolet on North Main Street as service manager during
1949-1950. Late in 1950, Otis returned to Sherwood Oldsmobile
as service manager. Otis’ son, Rod Best, also
worked at Sherwood Oldsmobile from 1950-1958. In 1958 Otis and
Rod and Rod’s other son, Duane, bought 1024 North
Main Street, across from the American Legion Hall and on the
same side of North Main as Dr. West’s Animal Clinic. Rod
worked as shop mechanic and salesman. Otis died in 1970 after
leaving the shop some years earlier.
Jack Sandman bought the
building at 116 East Federal Street and Best Auto Service maintained
their business in this building until closing in April 2002.
Rod’s wife, Shirley, ran the front office for
many years. Les Best, Rod’s older son began working
in 1968 until reaching college age. Rod’s younger son,
Doug, also worked at this location and obtained an
associate degree in Automotive Sales Marketing. Something must
have been in the Best genetics that caused nephews and cousins
to moonlight at the shop turning wrenches and diagnosing vehicle
troubles. Rod Best retired in 1994 while Les and Doug continued
the repair shop business until it closed in 2002.
As the years passed, Best Auto
Service grew into a community partner. It represented what cities
like Girard, McDonald and Niles prided themselves on and seek
to be remembered for- being a part of a thriving, trusted family
business. Children would often bring in their bicycles for tire
and seat repair, at no cost. Many music stands from local high
schools received a fresh coat of black paint in the spray booth.
Customers would arrive at 9 AM
for a cup of coffee and leave hours later, now caught up on
each other’s family happenings. It was not unusual for
a customer to answer the phone when all the employees were busy.
Best Auto Service cars were in Halloween and Fourth of July
parades; even leading the opening lap at Sharon Speedway. Countless
cars in Niles wore the recognizable silver “Best Auto
Sales” sticker on the back bumper.
Unfortunately, as the automotive
industry evolved, small area businesses, like Best Auto Repair,
began to feel the pain of a changing economy and competing with
super-sized dealers. After 77 years of serving the Niles’
community, their garage doors were closed.
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1948 Oldsmobile

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Sherwood-Smith Oldsmobile advertisement.
L: 1931 advertisement for Mullett Motors.
R: Listing of the 1960s service stations.
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Weddell’s Service
Station — Tim Weddell
My grandfather, Tom Weddell,
was raised in Mineral Ridge before meeting my grandmother, Kay
Pollard, in the early 40’s. They married in 1945
after honorably serving in the US Navy in WWII.
My grandfather worked for SOHIO,
operating stations whose owners were still at war before he
opened his first service station, WEDDELL’S SOHIO, at
the south west corner of Mahoning Ave and Robbins Avenue.
He later moved to a newer SOHIO
station on the north east corner North Main Street and West
Federal Street in the mid 50’s.
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While operating the SOHIO stations,
he was an active and lifetime member of the Niles Jaycees and
former president of the Niles Jaycees, former president of the
Niles Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Gasoline
dealers of Ohio, served on the board of the National Gasoline
dealers of Ohio, and a very active member of the Freemasons.
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After 30 years with SOHIO, he
moved to a SUNOCO station at the northeast corner of Main Street
and Church Street where Fair-Way tire currently operates. He
closed the station in the early 80’s after 8 years of
operation at a Sunoco service station.
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The little boy in the plaid is my father, six
year old Tim Weddell Niles class of 1968. With him is my grandmother
Kay Weddell and my grandfather, Tom Weddell. .Photo:
1956. |

Tim Weddell, owner/operator
of SOHIO service station. |

Weddells Service Station sponsored many local
sports teams by supplying uniforms and equipment.
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Park Avenue Sinclair Service Station, 1953. |

Unknown, Paul and Stan Bahn. |
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