Ostrom Chevrolet

Casa de Cadillac
Sherman Oaks, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Take a look at Casa de Cadillac in its glowing delight along Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. The immense glass showroom walls put the automobiles on display for everyone passing by, while the neon above gives the building a little nighttime sparkle of its own.

Built in 1948 and opened in 1949, the dealership was designed by Randall Duell and Phillip A. Conklin. Duell also worked as a Hollywood set designer, and this showroom certainly knows how to present its stars. Tall glass, polished terrazzo, and carefully placed landscaping made buying a Cadillac something of an occasion.

Check out the script lettering across the showroom. It matches the lettering used on a 1949 Cadillac, carrying the automobile’s styling right onto the building. The larger vertical sign makes sure the brand can be spotted farther down the boulevard.

A sensitive rehabilitation in 2013 restored much of the original appearance, preserving the glass frontage and distinctive mid-century character. Fortunately, this is one dealership where a newer look didn’t mean starting over with a plain box.

UPDATE: Casa de Cadillac remains open at 14401 Ventura Boulevard. A Historic-Cultural Monument nomination was submitted in 2026, and the first hearing was continued in September to allow further discussions. Interim protections against alteration or demolition remain in place while the nomination is considered. 10-26

Windy's Used Cars (Redone)
Los Angeles, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

There was little chance of overlooking the tremendous arrow at Windy’s Used Cars in Los Angeles. The vintage-looking marquee put some personality above the lot, giving motorists something to notice before getting around to the cars below.

Unfortunately, the sign received a facelift that changed its distinctive appearance. The earlier photograph catches the marquee before that work took away some of the character that made it worth a second look.

UPDATE: The original Windy’s marquee was altered, as noted in the earlier entry. This photograph preserves its previous appearance and the oversized arrow that helped the lot stand out. 10-26

Smiley's Used Cars
San Bernardino, CA
Photo courtesy David Carrasco

Here’s a happy-looking roadside character at Smiley’s Used Cars in San Bernardino. The sign has an almost robotic face, with an arrow rising straight out of its head. Apparently a smile alone wasn’t enough to get motorists pointed toward the lot.

The unusual combination gives the business name a face of its own. While other dealers relied on large lettering or a familiar automobile emblem, Smiley’s had this fellow keeping watch above the cars.

Take another look at that arrow. It adds just enough oddness to make the sign memorable, turning an ordinary used-car advertisement into something worth pulling over to photograph.

UPDATE: This photograph records Smiley’s distinctive smiling-face marquee during its earlier roadside days in San Bernardino. 10-26

Look Used Cars
Glendora, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Heading along Route 66 through Glendora, motorists had a fairly direct invitation from Look Used Cars. The big lettering told passing drivers what to do, then followed up with what they might find on the lot. Not much mystery in that sales pitch.

The sign fit right into a roadside lined with businesses competing for attention through the windshield. A brief glance could get the message across, while someone interested in old signs might linger a little longer.

There’s something fitting about a car-lot marquee along Route 66. The road carried plenty of automobiles past the business, and perhaps a few drivers were ready to leave in a different one.

UPDATE: The photograph preserves the Look Used Cars marquee along Glendora’s Route 66 corridor. 10-26

Carey's Fine Automobiles (Closed)
San Bernardino, CA
Photo and info courtesy David Carrasco

Check out the space-age arrows at Carey’s Fine Automobiles in San Bernardino. This sign gives passing motorists a little direction with plenty of mid-century style, making the advertisement almost as interesting as the automobiles it promoted.

The business dates to 1942, while construction of its later location began in 1955 and was completed in 1957. That puts the building squarely in the era when roadside businesses were finding increasingly imaginative ways to catch the eye.

UPDATE: Carey’s Fine Automobiles has closed. Its history reaches back to 1942, and the photograph recalls the distinctive arrow marquee associated with its mid-century San Bernardino location. 10-26

Savon Cars (Gone)
Ontario, CA
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Check out the friendly automobile character at Savon Cars in Ontario. This little fellow adds some personality to the marquee, lighting the way for motorists passing the lot. Apparently the cars didn’t leave all the selling to the people inside. 06-06

The glowing automobile turns a straightforward business sign into a roadside attraction. It’s the sort of detail that makes a drive past a used-car lot worth remembering, even when there’s no intention of stopping to shop.

While customers could look over the vehicles below, the sign offered something else to admire overhead. A little cartoon character and some neon went a long way toward giving the place a look of its own.

UPDATE: The photograph catches Savon’s illuminated automobile mascot during its earlier days in Ontario. It's gone. 10-26

Albertson Oldsmobile (Gone)
Culver City, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

An automobile dealership with a rocket beside its offices certainly gave motorists something to notice. Albertson Oldsmobile in Culver City had just such an attraction, putting a little space-age scenery alongside the cars. By the time of the original update, the dealership had closed and the rocket was gone. 08-13

Located at 4114 Sepulveda Boulevard, Albertson became known as the Home of the Red Rocket. The freestanding attraction suited Oldsmobile’s Rocket identity, taking the automobile advertising beyond lettering on a sign. Customers could shop for a car while passing roadside watchers admired something that looked ready for a much longer trip.

The business later operated as Albertson Chevrolet before closing in summer 2007, after roughly six decades in business. The empty showroom marked the end of a longtime automobile stop, and the missing rocket left the property with considerably less to catch the eye.

UPDATE: The former Albertson dealership site was redeveloped as Culver Crossroads. The old dealership and its Red Rocket are gone from the property, leaving photographs to recall this unusual Sepulveda Boulevard landmark. 10-26