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History of MADA/Auto Show (cont.)Advertising for the show included car window cards, theatre slides, posters and billboards, and ads in the Oklahoma City papers and outside dailies. Cabaret girls, a dance hall, the John Youngberg Orchestra and the Deep River Jazz Band were featured entertainment. By the 1930's, we have dealerships such as ... Coopers (Tom Cooper), Fergusons (Ferguson-Olander), and Jones (Fred Jones) in the car business in Oklahoma City. There were 38 total dealerships operating out of a selling area that extended from 13th Street and N. Broadway (now the Automobile Alley® Historic District) to 22nd Street on South Robinson. Thirty-eight dealerships in thirty three blocks! The Great Depression, World War II, Consolidation, and Competition cut fifteen dealerships out of the picture by the 1950's. All but one store, Pat Pugh, 8600 N. Western, was still located within thirty-three blocks of downtown. Some of the new dealers who emerged were Clark, Coker, Dockum, Fretwell, Pugh, and Scott. Fifty years into the future brings us to the twenty-first century. Oklahomans aren't flying space cars yet, but a lot has changed in the dealership community. The association has changed to the Metropolitan Auto Dealers Association to accommodate the sprawling cityscape, and the Auto Show has also grown into the Oklahoma City International Auto Show featuring our now 62 car dealerships. Dealers have expanded into the suburban areas leaving the Automobile Alley® district and downtown's central business district with only one dealership each. For 88 years, our association mission has been to assist and promote the local franchised new car dealers and we will continue to do so for 88 more. |
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