Car dealerships along Route 66 that are considering major renovations, take note — one in Oklahoma is showing how it should be done.
Bolin Ford, a dealership on Route 66 in Bristow, Okla., that was heavily damaged by fire in December 2008, is rebuilding in a style that matches Bristow’s historic downtown architecture and pays tribute to the Mother Road.
“All of the buildings in downtown go back to the 1920s, so we decided to go back to the 1920s,” explained Bolin Ford sales coordinator Kathy Wisotsky about Bolin’s retro design. “And, besides, it’s on Route 66.”
Wisotsky said a still-standing sign tower for an abandoned Chrysler-Plymouth dealership a couple of blocks from Route 66 in Bristow also served as an inspiration for the Bolin sign tower in the design.
Tulsa architect John Sanford laid out the dealership’s retro look. Wisotsky said the project should be finished in late spring of 2011.
A construction firm that has presided over many projects in the historic downtown of Eureka Springs, Ark., is the general contractor for Bolin.
“Several contractors competed hard for this project,” Wisotsky said, “because they knew it would be an award-winner.”
The fire destroyed a hangar-style repair shop and an adjacent structure. But mostly spared were the architecturally distinctive structures, including the original 1923 Bristow Motor Co. building on the corner. The original buildings can be seen at the left in the artist’s rendering.
Wisotsky gave credit to a number of employees and stakeholders at Bolin Ford for advocating a novel design for the rebuild, including general manager Bill Shattuck.
“We’ve got at least one more idea up our sleeve,” Wisotsky said. “We can’t say what it is right now, but it should be exciting.”
Bolin is under its third generation of family ownership, and has been operating on Route 66 in Bristow for 52 years. Bristow Motor Co. was the first automotive dealership in Creek County.
That’s a good looking store.
A place like this would sure get me to pop in and take a look at their selection.