Western Auto Store

[STL Iver]

Nice photos of your bike. I worked in the cycling industry for a few years in the mid west. Western Auto was THE bike shop for many small, medium towns. Many did a fair amount of bicycle business and needed additional suppliers beyond Western Auto corp. A few Gambles stores did the same but the vast majority were Western Auto stores. More difficult today to get bikes serviced in these smaller towns.

 

[Gaguy696]

do they have any auto stuff in there? looks like just bike stuff....

I seen where you asked if there where any Western auto stuff in that old store.I have stock from a store in Soddy Daisy Tn I want to sell if you or know someone who would want it.

 

[2jakes]

My folks put the Western Flyer X-53 on "Layaway" for Christmas at our local Western Auto Store.

 

[Squiggle Dog]

Really neat! My relatives owned a service station and Western Auto store years ago in Helper, Utah. It was abandoned for many years and now is being renovated as Helper is becoming a tourist town.

My mother's family had lots of Western Flyer bicycles when they were kids.

Here's the service station:

You know what else is neat? The people who purchased the service station bought a 1949 Buick that someone had in their shed, so they put it in the service station. It turned out have been owned by my relatives who owned the station. We even have old pictures of the car, and it looks like nothing on it has been changed.

Here I am with it:

And here is an old picture my aunt with it:

 

[stoney]

Really neat! My relatives owned a service station and Western Auto store years ago in Helper, Utah. It was abandoned for many years and now is being renovated as Helper is becoming a tourist town.
View attachment 745984
View attachment 745987

My mother's family had lots of Western Flyer bicycles when they were kids.

Here's the service station:
View attachment 745998View attachment 745999

You know what else is neat? The people who purchased the service station bought a 1949 Buick that someone had in their shed, so they put it in the service station. It turned out have been owned by my relatives who owned the station. We even have old pictures of the car, and it looks like nothing on it has been changed.

Here I am with it:
View attachment 746000

And here is an old picture my aunt with it:
View attachment 746001

Very cool, thanks for the trip.

 

[Freqman1]

Kansas City 2014

 

[DonChristie]

Sad to see them go! Heres a Western flyer i am currently selling. Shameless plug!

 

[Olds442]

More great pics. Nothing like that now. Thank you

 

[frampton]

I picked berries the Summer of 67 and earned enough to buy a blue Schwinn Fastback from the local Western Auto.

 

[morton]

Sad to see those independent businesses disappear. I was fortunate to live much of my life in a time when there were many "smaller" stores like WA, Joe the Motorists Friend, and Pep Boys (when they carried a variety of non car items). Same thing happened to hardware and toy stores. When I moved into my present home in 1973 there were 3 hardware stores within 4 miles where you could buy a bolt, the size you needed, not a convenience pack of 4 made in china. The local "auto stores" I mentioned previously carried toys at Christmas time and bikes in the summer.

Off hand I can think of about 7 or 8 different places within a 10 mile radius that sold bikes, bike parts, and serviced bikes. And one of the biggest was Klinedinst, a business that was mainly an appliance store. They are only memories now.

A lot of people my age will tell younger ones how easily they have it today and in some ways that's true. But I wouldn't trade my youth of friendly local merchants who knew your name and carried a variety of items made in the USA that you needed for all the chinese junk in walmart.

Black Phantoms, Radio Bikes, "English" bikes (made in England!), Persons Majestic Sirens, Cadet Speedos.......all available at your local hardware, tire, auto, or appliance store! Those were the days my friend!