Vic Frederick Motor Sales: Formerly East Side Sales which was a Studebaker wagon, buggy and automobile business back in 1919. Clarence Frederick bought the business from A.J. Gibbs, who had been selling products for more than 30 years. Another brother Urban Frederick joined Clarence in the business later and Vic bought a share in the venture with borrowed money in 1924. Vic recalls the three brothers only taking $20 a week out of the business for years, putting most of the profits back into the growing firm. Clarence died in 1933 and Urban acquired his shares in 1935, Urban then sold out to Vic in July of 1940. Urban then started his own business, Urb's Nash Sales located on West State Street. Sometime after that date when Vic became the sole owner he changed the name of the business to Vic Frederick Motor Sales. Vic acquired some additional property and combined three storefronts along East State Street to create a showroom. It sold the first bookmobile to Birchard Public Library, providing the chassis. Real Estate transfers obtained from Hayes Memorial Library. East Side Sales pts. Lot 469 was sold to Urban A. Frederick on 12/31/35. Urban A. Frederick to Victor C. Frederick purchased pts. Lot 469 on 7/11/40. Charles F. Hill, dec'd to Emma Hill pts. Lot 469 Certificate Transfer on 12/24/40. Emma Hill to Victor C. Frederick purchased pts. Lot 469 on 9/26/45. Victor C. Frederick, dec'd to Gladys N. Frederick Lot 469 Certificate Transfer on 5/3/50. Gladys N. Frederick, dec'd to Victor D. Frederick et al Lot 469 Certificate Transfer on 7/13/66. Victor D. Frederick Jr. to William R. Weng Lot 469 on 11/7/67. My father Richard Hoffman and two of his brothers Robert and George began employment there in the early to mid 40's. My uncle Robert enticed my father to come to work there because they were in need of mechanics and my Dad was pretty good with cars. My father and Robert retired from the business after many years but George left after a few years and became a carpenter. I believe Jake Ohms became a partner in the business around 1948 or 1949. Vic Frederick Sr. died on May 28, 1949; he was only 43 years old. Donald Logsdon then became a partner somewhere around 1954 to 1956 at which time I think my father (Richard Hoffman) was promoted to the Service Manager position that Don previously held. My father held that position until the business closed in 1966, he was then retained in the same position at Towne Lincoln and Mercury until his retirement in 1980 from Don Paul Ford, L & M. I believe when Vic Frederick Motor Sales closed that Vic Jr. and Gene Swope kept the used car lot open on the East side of Meyers T.V. and Appliance. It was named Vic and Gene's Used Cars. Some of my memories include my Dad going to Studebaker Plant in South Bend for school every year before the new model line was introduced so he could school the mechanics on how to repair new features or changes. In 1959 & 1960 the floods hit downtown Fremont because of the river ice jams. I remember my Dad and all the men working a lot of hours to clean up all the oil on the floor of the business that had come up from the underground waste oil storage tanks. I also remember going down to the garage after school at St. Joseph's H.S. an while waiting for a ride home with Dad I would sit in all the new cars dreaming of the day when I could finally drive. The first car I owned was a 1967 Mercury Cougar that Jake Ohms personally drove me to Detroit to pick up. That's the kind of personalized business it was. Since then I have owned two Studebakers, a 1963 Studebaker Lark that was totaled in an accident and the Studebaker Rockne that I have just finished restoring. The Studebaker business was trending downward so in 1958 the business owners brought in the newly designed Edsel to sell, but it just didn't take off like they thought it would for several reasons; the 58/59 recession, mechanical problems with the electric push button drive and the public didn't care for the vertical grill styling. So after a few more years the business closed in 1966 when the Studebaker Corporation ceased building automobiles. The partners merged with Seaman Motors (Sam Seaman) and the new Towne Lincoln and Mercury Dealership was built at 1005 Everett Road. Sam Seaman was President, Don Logsdon Vice-President and Jacob Ohm was the Secretary/Treasurer. Later on James Notheis became the 4th partner and I believe assumed the Treasurer position since he was their bookkeeper. Later after Mr. Seaman passed away Raymond Hasser became a new partner. The business was later sold to Don Paul in 1976 and it became Don Paul Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. Three years later in 1979 a new larger dealership was built on farm land on North Route 53, which is now Advantage Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. Information sources: Hayes Memorial Library Roy Wilhelm's News Messenger Article 8/14/2013 My Memories and my Dad's stories Retro Fremont Tim Hoffman / Sent from my iPad