Questions and Answers (Q&A) Forgotten Chicago Forum
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1801 S Michigan - Old Showroom?
Posted by:
sloop89
()
Date: April 11, 2014 12:46AM
Hi all, longtime reader but first time poster on the forum.
I'm curious if anyone knows the story of 1801 S Michigan - it looks to be an old showroom back from the glory days of the auto row. From what I can tell, a parts company called Beckley-Ralston was there for a short time, but they appear to have moved to somewhere on Cermak shortly thereafter.
http://books.google.com/books?id=QBUxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA367&lpg=PA367&dq=beckley-ralston+1801+s+michigan&source=bl&ots=YIecHG0YIP&sig=-64bvUCBf8Q4AgmCO6GDHuw6zcM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3VRHU7_ECbC42gXt_IHYCw&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=beckley-ralston%201801%20s%20michigan&f=false
I can only assume it was a showroom for most of its existence before being developed in the late '90s - any insights would be greatly appreciated!
I'm curious if anyone knows the story of 1801 S Michigan - it looks to be an old showroom back from the glory days of the auto row. From what I can tell, a parts company called Beckley-Ralston was there for a short time, but they appear to have moved to somewhere on Cermak shortly thereafter.
http://books.google.com/books?id=QBUxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA367&lpg=PA367&dq=beckley-ralston+1801+s+michigan&source=bl&ots=YIecHG0YIP&sig=-64bvUCBf8Q4AgmCO6GDHuw6zcM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=3VRHU7_ECbC42gXt_IHYCw&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=beckley-ralston%201801%20s%20michigan&f=false
I can only assume it was a showroom for most of its existence before being developed in the late '90s - any insights would be greatly appreciated!
Re: 1801 S Michigan - Old Showroom?
Posted by:
Mr Downtown
()
Date: April 12, 2014 12:03AM
I don't think it was ever a showroom; it lacks the ground floor plate-glass windows and other telltale features. Instead, I think it was a manufacturing-warehouse loft building that had many different tenants.
Besides showrooms for horseless carriages, Chicago's Motor Row was full of parts distributors and even manufacturers of accessories for the motor trade.
Besides showrooms for horseless carriages, Chicago's Motor Row was full of parts distributors and even manufacturers of accessories for the motor trade.
Re: 1801 S Michigan - Old Showroom?
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: April 12, 2014 12:55AM
What shows up most under the Beckley-Ralston name via Google is radios and, interestingly, golf clubs. Which makes sense, as Mr. Downtown brought up, as early car radios were only aftermarket items and golf bag compartments were popular features on roadsters.
Re: 1801 S Michigan - Old Showroom?
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: April 21, 2014 02:58AM
I found this on Flickr. Some items sold by Beckley-Ralston. Maybe that person, John has more info. It sounds like this was a catalog mail order house there.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Beckley-Ralston
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2014 03:03AM by rjmachon.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Beckley-Ralston
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2014 03:03AM by rjmachon.
