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Star Pontiac in West Town
Posted by:
John V.
()
Date: June 03, 2015 02:02PM
Star Pontiac dealership operated at 2413-23 W. Chicago Ave. (just to the west of intersection with Western Ave.) in the '60s, maybe into the '70s. Owned by Silvio Sabaini and his brother Pompeo.
Large, newer brick building at this location now, occupied by CVS Pharmacy. When was this building constructed? Looks big for a CVS, Was there a different tenant before CVS?
Wonder if anybody has any pix showing Star Pontiac or the building they occupied before it was demolished to make room for what is there today?
Anybody know what year Star Pontiac closed? Genealogy posting by Silvio's now deceased eldest daughter says Star Pontiac was closed due to his heart trouble but didn't indicate the year.
Any and all info about Star Pontiac is appreciated!
Large, newer brick building at this location now, occupied by CVS Pharmacy. When was this building constructed? Looks big for a CVS, Was there a different tenant before CVS?
Wonder if anybody has any pix showing Star Pontiac or the building they occupied before it was demolished to make room for what is there today?
Anybody know what year Star Pontiac closed? Genealogy posting by Silvio's now deceased eldest daughter says Star Pontiac was closed due to his heart trouble but didn't indicate the year.
Any and all info about Star Pontiac is appreciated!
Re: Star Pontiac in West Town
Posted by:
Gorf
()
Date: June 03, 2015 05:28PM
This was a Jewel-Osco in the 1980s, then an Osco after the 1990s.
Re: Star Pontiac in West Town
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: June 03, 2015 05:45PM
John, I think that was a Edmar's Food store back in the early 2000. City News for the address 2413 Chicago Ave. and the property just west of that has a building being built in 1974. I couldn't find a 2413-23 Chicago Ave. listing. Could Star Pontiac have closed around 1974 or opened around 1974 and then closed around 1987 after he died?
Re: Star Pontiac in West Town
Posted by:
John V.
()
Date: June 04, 2015 04:55PM
On a genealogy site, his daughter (before she died in 2008) posted that her father closed Star due to his heart troubles. She didn't say when, but he had triple bypass in '78 or '79 at the age of 65 and multiple heart attacks before that. From other parts of her story, I believe he opened Star Pontiac around 1960, she says a few years after his successful Hudson dealership in Blue Island was closed when AMC quit making the Hudson. That would have been after the '57 Model Year. Her brother worked as the Parts Manager at Star until '69.
So I figure Star was closed sometime between '69 and '79.
Wonder if the building constructed in '74 was for the Jewel store and is the same building that now is occupied by CVS.
Thanks for all the insights!
Pix was a long shot. Chasing this for a friend who owns a '60s Pontiac we think was bought at Star. He is trying to get some history on them.
The brother who was Parts Manager is still living in the Chicago area, I've suggested my friend call him and see if he has any mementos from his dad's dealership.
My own Chicago roots aren't very deep. I came to Chicago for college (near Comiskey, I'm sure many of you know the school), graduated in '77 and lived out in the 'burbs until leaving in '95.
But pretty cool forum here. Brought back memories scanning thru some of the threads.
So I figure Star was closed sometime between '69 and '79.
Wonder if the building constructed in '74 was for the Jewel store and is the same building that now is occupied by CVS.
Thanks for all the insights!
Pix was a long shot. Chasing this for a friend who owns a '60s Pontiac we think was bought at Star. He is trying to get some history on them.
The brother who was Parts Manager is still living in the Chicago area, I've suggested my friend call him and see if he has any mementos from his dad's dealership.
My own Chicago roots aren't very deep. I came to Chicago for college (near Comiskey, I'm sure many of you know the school), graduated in '77 and lived out in the 'burbs until leaving in '95.
But pretty cool forum here. Brought back memories scanning thru some of the threads.
Re: Star Pontiac in West Town
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: June 04, 2015 08:42PM
There is an ad on this site that mentions Star Pontiac from 1967. It is towards the bottom John. Your friend should contact this website, maybe they might have some info on Star Pontiac.
http://www.oneownercollectorcar.com/index.php/dealerships/80-illinois-chicagoland-dealers
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2015 08:46PM by rjmachon.
http://www.oneownercollectorcar.com/index.php/dealerships/80-illinois-chicagoland-dealers
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2015 08:46PM by rjmachon.
Re: Star Pontiac in West Town
Posted by:
John V.
()
Date: June 05, 2015 12:30AM
Just spotted an ad in the March 8, 1969 Tribune for Arnold Pontiac at "2415 W. Chicago Avenue at Western".
Notice the slight address change.
But looks like Star Pontiac was replaced by Arnold Pontiac by that date.
Don't know how long Arnold Pontiac remained in biz but at least I know when Star Pontiac was gone. Looks like that is why the owner's son ended his career as Parts Manager prior to '69.
rjmachon, thanks. That was the listing that tipped us off to the possibility that Star Pontiac was the name of the dealership we were looking for. Based on the known Dealer Code for where the car was sold, we knew it was a dealer in the Chicago Zone and alphabetically between Sholl Pontiac and Henry Susk Pontiac (has to do with how Pontiac assigned Dealer Codes). Star Pontiac was the only one that fit.
Notice the slight address change.
But looks like Star Pontiac was replaced by Arnold Pontiac by that date.
Don't know how long Arnold Pontiac remained in biz but at least I know when Star Pontiac was gone. Looks like that is why the owner's son ended his career as Parts Manager prior to '69.
rjmachon, thanks. That was the listing that tipped us off to the possibility that Star Pontiac was the name of the dealership we were looking for. Based on the known Dealer Code for where the car was sold, we knew it was a dealer in the Chicago Zone and alphabetically between Sholl Pontiac and Henry Susk Pontiac (has to do with how Pontiac assigned Dealer Codes). Star Pontiac was the only one that fit.
