“Classified System” Parking Stations — 1930s
by Paula Bosse
Is that a ship? And an iceberg? (click for larger image)
by Paula Bosse
Here’s a cool little ad for what was basically a parking garage that also sold gas and tires (and which seems to have had a ship on top of its building … a building which might be shaped like … an iceberg?). This snazzy-looking garage was at 501 N. Akard (at Patterson) — it was one of several “Classified System” garages that dotted downtown from the early 1930s until at least the early ’70s. The Akard location was station No. 1.
Below, an ad from 1935 informing patrons that they could drive in, have tires installed, and pay for them sometime in the future — for as little as 50 cents a week (which would come out to about $35 a month in today’s money). “YOU DON’T NEED CASH.” (Click ad to see a larger image.)
1935 ad
I love the kooky design of the building, but that ship is just … odd. I like it, I just don’t get it. Maybe that’s the “classified” part.
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Sources & Notes
Color image is a matchbook cover found on Flickr, here.
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Copyright © 2017 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.
driving with poor tires is akin to sailing in a sea filled with icebergs
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Could be….
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I’m wondering if those are waves as opposed to an iceberg, which would explain the ship a little more.
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Possibly….
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Maybe the previous tenant at 501 N. Akard was another automotive outfit which thought something like Titanic Auto Sales would be the way to go. That not panning out, Classified moved in and left the odd design elements in place until they could come up with a better idea. Which, no doubt, they did.
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