Building history: Constructed in 1911, the Buick Building was the first automobile showroom in Oklahoma City and began what is now known as Automobile Alley. Unlike most modern sales dealerships, this was a direct sales outlet built and owned by the Buick Motor Company of Detroit. With its limestone ornamentation and embossed name, the two-story structure was well suited to the early automobile industry. During the early decades of the 20th century, dealerships did not maintain large inventories. Instead, potential buyers were shown a model or two in the ground-floor showroom. If the customer wanted the model, it was then ordered from the factory. Due to small inventories, large showrooms were not needed. Moreover, by not stocking cars for sale, open car lots were not necessary, in sharp contrast to dealerships today. By the late-1920s, small dealerships such as Buick were changing. By 1930, the Buick Building was used as a paint store with the Buick dealership having moved to a larger building at Northwest 10th and Broadway. The Buick Building is part of the historic downtown district known as “Automobile Alley.” This area is a district building on its history as home to more than 50 car dealerships and ...
Building history: Constructed in 1911, the Buick Building was the first automobile showroom in Oklahoma City and began what is now known as Automobile Alley. Unlike most modern sales dealerships, this was a direct sales outlet built and owned by the Buick Motor Company of Detroit. With its limestone ornamentation and embossed name, the two-story structure was well suited to the early automobile industry. During the early decades of the 20th century, dealerships did not maintain large inventories. Instead, potential buyers were shown a model or two in the ground-floor showroom. If the customer wanted the model, it was then ordered from the factory. Due to small inventories, large showrooms were not needed. Moreover, by not stocking cars for sale, open car lots were not necessary, in sharp contrast to dealerships today. By the late-1920s, small dealerships such as Buick were changing. By 1930, the Buick Building was used as a paint store with the Buick dealership having moved to a larger building at Northwest 10th and Broadway. The Buick Building is part of the historic downtown district known as “Automobile Alley.” This area is a district building on its history as home to more than 50 car dealerships and ...