Used Car Lots

May 26th, 2008 | webmaster | Memory Lane

By Gene Norton

Do you remember the used car lots that were in and around the “Boro in the late 50’s, 60’s, 70’s right up until today? Here is what I remember.

Bridger Motor Company had a used car lot, as well as new cars, located down town on the corner. There was a car lot just across the bridge on highway 242. I had a 10×10 office on the lot, which was operated by Hoover Dowless . Later on, Dowless Used Cars moved in a new office and lot on highway 410 before you get to Northside Church road on the left. He sold used cars and motorcycles. The cycle shop has been torn down and the office and the clean up shop remodeled into a house. Mrs. J.B. Johnson lives there now. You would never know it was once a used car lot.

Mr. Blaney McKeithan had a car lot on Pine Ridge for many years. I fixed up a ’55 Crown Victoria Ford at his place that I purchased out of a junk yard. It would be nice to have it today.

Mr. Cecil Bennett sold used cars for awhile when he operated the Pure Oil Station in the 60’s. Jerry Richardson put in a new car lot on 242, where Dowless Auto’s old place was. It had a new office and clean-up area. When Jerry moved, Jule’s Auto Sales was there for awhile operated by Jule Williamson. Today, who would know it once was a car lot. Peace Baptist Church is there now.

Jerry Richardson put in a car lot beside what is now the Fire Department and then he moved his car lot to Lumberton. Dowless Used Cars put in a lot in Jerry’s old location for a few years. As time went on, Jerry moved his lot back to that same Bladenboro location and it is still today Richardson’s Used Cars, operated by his son, Terry Richardson. A lot of cars have passed in and out of that lot, and the beat still goes on today.

Buddy Cain’s Car Lot, located just across the railroad tracks on Pine Ridge, has seen a lot of cars in its’ day. Now it is gone, like the rest of the old car lots where cars once sat waiting on a buyer to drive it off. They are gone, but not forgotten.

You can still purchase a good used car in the ‘Boro. Two places where cars are still are still waiting for that special buyer to stop in and take a spin. Stop by Richardson’s Used Cars on highway 211 where it has been for a long time and Nance’s Auto just across the bridge on the left. They are keeping the dream alive. Are there others that I did not remember? I’ll bet so.

Do You Remember?