Red arrow points to 6140 Hollywood Boulevard. LAPL photo.

This 1-story brick building at the southeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard and El Centro was built to house automotive supply retailers by the estate of Ida W. Beveridge circa 1916, one of the earliest structures to be built on the large rural parcel.

Daeida (Ida) Beveridge, often called the “Mother of Hollywood,” had owned the large ranch property with her husband, Harvey Henderson Wilcox. The couple came to the area from Topeka, Kansas and subdivided Hollywood in 1887. Wilcox passed away in 1891; in 1892, Ida married Philo Beveridge. Ida Beveridge controlled the Wilcox land holdings and, when Hollywood incorporated in 1903, donated land for many of its civic buildings. She passed away in 1914 and her estate manager, C.B. Brunson (who was married to the Beveridge’s daughter Phyllis), developed the property as Hollywood turned increasingly commercial.

It appears the address may have originally been 6130 Hollywood Boulevard. This number was first used in 1916 by Hollywood Motor Supply, who moved into the Beveridge building in March 1916. An addition went onto the building in 1920.

By 1934 it was addressed as 6140. Powell’s Dayton Tire Store move in in February 1934.

Hollywood Citizen News 2/14/1934.

The building had a side service entrance, accessed through a surface parking lot used by the adjacent Music Box Theater, seen here c. 1931. LAPL photo.

In June 1934, C. B. Brunson had 6140 Hollywood Boulevard remodeled as an auto showroom for Moyer Motors Inc., run by brothers George and Dale Moyer, dealers of the Willys 77. The economical, fuel-efficient car was made by the Toledo-based Willys-Overland which, like Studebaker, went into receivership in 1934.

Hollywood Citizen News 6/27/1934.

In September 1934, Moyer Motors became an Auburn dealership. Previously, the luxury automobile’s showroom was across the street at 6145. Whether Auburn would have the resources to offer the 1935 model had been in question- Auburn, too, was in financial dire straits. The company did quit making the Auburn motor car in 1937.

Hollywood Citizen News 11/21/1934.

On September 24, 1936, it became a retail shop again, a Goodrich Stilvertown battery and tire etc. shop.

Hollywood Citizen News 9/23/1936.

Hollywood Citizen News 9/29/1937.

On October 1, 1937, David J. Bricker, longtime Studebaker salesman for Paul G. Hoffman Studebaker at 6116 Hollywood Boulevard, became the Studebaker dealer for Hollywood. Paul G. Hoffman Co. remained the Studebaker distributor for the Los Angeles area (Paul G. Hoffmann was then also president of the Studebaker corporation). Initially located at 5766 Hollywood Boulevard, David J. Bricker, Inc. moved to 6140 Hollywood Boulevard in March 1938.

Hollywood Citizen 3/23/1938.

In October 1939. Bricker remodeled the front facade of the building, giving it a streamlined, modern appearance, with a large expanse of angled plate;glass windows on the Hollywood and El Centro elevations. He also extended signage across the entrance to the surface parking lot between 6140 and the Music Box Theater to the east.

Hollywood Citizen News 10/18/1939.

Domestic automobile production shut down in the USA in February 1942 as auto makers focused on defense contracts. New 1942 models on car lots were generally commissioned for military use. Dealers like Bricker Studebaker emphasized their service departments, as maintaining one’s current vehicle was critical. Used cars were available but there were price caps imposed by the Office of Price Administration (OPA).

Hollywood Citizen News 3/10/1943.

Studebaker was purchased by the Packard Motor Car Company in 1954 to become the  Studebaker-Packard Corporation. David J. Bricker Inc. rolled with the changes into 1957.

Hollywood Citizen News 2/6/1957.

In July 1957, Bricker announced that it had taken on the Mercury franchise for Hollywood, leaving behind Studebaker-Packard for the Ford Motor Company. The dealership also handled English Ford imports.

LA Times 8/1/1957.

Hollywood Citizen News 8/19/1957.

In August 1958, Edsels and Lincolns were added to the mix of Ford-produced automobiles offered. Ford had acquired the Lincoln Motor Company in 1922. The Edsel, named for company founder Henry Ford’s son Edsel Ford, was marketed from 1958 to 1960.

Hollywood Citizen News 8/15/1958.

View of Hollywood Boulevard looking east from Argyle in 1965. Bricker’s round, red Lincoln Mercury roof sign can be seen midway up the block on the right. Photo by Mario De Biasi from the Mondadori Portfolio on the Getty Images website and posted by Ken McIntyre on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook site.

David J. Bricker Lincoln Mercury would also use 6000 Hollywood Boulevard for its used car lot. It remained headquartered at 6140 through 1970.

In June 1971, 6140 Hollywood Boulevard became Hollywood Auto Imports Fiat dealership.

LA Times 6/24/1971.

6140 in 1975 as Hollywood Auto Imports Fiat dealership. This photo was posted by Moviejs1944 on the Cinema Treasures website for the Pix Theater (formerly the Hollywood Music Box) at 6126 Hollywood Boulevard.

The building, remodeled again back to its more closed-up appearance, is extant today.

Notes:

The address 6130 Hollywood Boulevard reappears in 1954 as an Army-Air Force recruitment center through 1968; this was not the same building, as 6140 was David J. Bricker during that time.