Herb Satterlee Motors Packard Dealership, Tacoma, WA

[Centurion]

Plans are currently in progress for a July 19 walking tour of Tacoma's historic auto row. The downtown dealership structures were largely abandoned by the new car dealers by 1960, but many of the buildings have been preserved in some fashion and found new tenants.

Tacoma's historical society and a local architect have recruited some of the "car people" in the area to assist with the walking tour, which is intended to raise awareness of the area. The new interest in preserving the historic dealership structures has come about, in part, because of the threat of demolition of the 1948-era "streamline moderne" Mueller-Harkins Buick building.

Among the great dealerships of Tacoma's historic auto row was Herb Satterlee Motors, which was a Packard dealership housed in a truly spectacular structure. The building lives on as an antique store, but is as magnificent as one would expect for a vintage Packard dealership. Unfortunately, I have no exterior shots, but a search of the Tacoma Public Library website turned up a few images:

I'm currently hoping to make contact with some of the Packard Club members in the area, with the goal of having several Packards to display in front of the old dealership structure during the walking tour. We're making a similar effort with respect to other marques and their respective dealership structures.

Can anyone here provide me with some Packard contacts in the Seattle/Tacoma area?

For those having an interest in the old dealerships, here is the lengthy topic on the Buick forums about the Mueller-Harkins dealership, which was extensively documented by a local photographer at the time it opened in 1948.

Mueller-Harkins dealership building

[Guest Snopack]

Try Packards International, Pacific NW Region.

www.packardsintnw.com

John

[Centurion]

Thanks, John. I will follow up on this lead.

[Guest AlK]

you could also contact Pacific Northwest Packards at

faunus@comcast.net

[Centurion]

AlK, thank you. I'll check it out.

[packardbozo]

The dealership in Tacoma must be the huge antique store that is on antiques row. I think it is on St. Helen's Ave. It had been described to me as a Studebaker delarship. which makes snse considering how long ago all of this was taking place. It is a beautiful building and it makes much more sense that Packards were sold there. Tacoma was a weatlhy industrial city. and the delaership is off the edge of the old Stadium District which contains the most elegant houses in Westerm Washington.

John

[Centurion]

Yes, John, the Packard dealership structure stands on St. Helens Ave., between 6th and 7th. It is indeed a beautiful building, but, to my knowledge, Studebakers were never sold there. We have, however, tracked down about four different Studebaker dealership structures in the historic auto row area. Subsequently, Allen Studebaker occupied the current Gilchrist Buick structure on South Tacoma Way.

John, are you a Packard owner? Do you live in the Tacoma area? Any interest in assisting with this effort?

Please feel free to e-mail me at brianL@americanconstco.com .

Interestingly, I spotted a '49 Packard sedan at a cruise in on Pacific Avenue on Friday evening. The car's owner is most interested in displaying his car at the July 19 event. I've also noted an early 1950's black Packard sedan parked north of the Stadium District in the residential area. I hope to connect with its owner.