by Paul R. Spitzzeri
The rapid rise of the automobile in America and, particularly, in greater Los Angeles is one of the more important transportation developments in the nation’s history. The first “horseless carriage” appeared on Angel City streets in 1897, as noted in a post on this blog, though it was experimental. In short order, however, with our climate, horizontal development into far-flung suburbs, greater affordability and choice and other reasons, our region quickly became the car capital of the world.
In 1908, Henry Ford introduced his “universal car,” known widely as the Model T and which, with its assembly-line manufacturing and low price, became very popular. In Kansas City, Missouri, a young man in his early twenties named George Pepperdine, a native of Kansas and the son of a farmer who’d worked as a tire salesperson, opened a mail-order enterprise called the Western Auto Supply Agency and later opened a store, followed by one in Denver. With his health in poor shape, Pepperdine decided to decamp, with wife Lena and two daughters, for Los Angeles, where, in March 1916 at the southeast corner of Main and 12th streets (a very non-descript structure is there now), he opened his newest branch store.
The earliest located reference to the store is from the 19 March edition of the Los Angeles Times with an advertisement offering 20-50% savings for its opening week starting the next day and it was added that “we carry the largest line of Ford Accessories in the city.” The item continued,
Our experience gained by seven years in the Auto Supply business, enables us to select and handle only the most dependable goods. Our purchasing power, gained by buying goods in enormous quantities to supply our stores in Kansas City, Mo., Denver, Colo., and Los Angeles, Cal., enables us to sell you high-grade goods practically as low as the average dealer must pay. Come in and let us show you.
The 7 May edition of the paper ran a short article, in which it observed that “a proof of respect which the large automobile supply houses of the East hold towards the industry in Southern California is shown in the opening of the Western Auto Supply agency here.” It added that its nickname was the “Big Ford Specialty House” and that its owner “has been looking with longing eyes towards this Southern California field, because of the big opportunities he felt were here.”
This was embodied in the remark that the area boasted “the large registration of automobiles in this State and with cars used 365 days a year” and noted that “Pepperdine feels that he will soon have a business worked up that will exceed that of either of the Middle West stores and already has a large mail order business started which reaches out all over the State.” It should be added that the section of the city in which Western Auto set up shop was the automotive district going as far west as Figueroa Street.
In its number of 14 December 1917, the Roman Catholic newspaper, The Tidings, included an ad impersonating an article and titled “FORD OWNERS SUPPLY HOUSE,” with it noted that,
There are so many Fords in use that there is constant demand for accessories which are adapted to this machine and no other. Among the firms in California which specialize in this line is the Western Auto Supply Agency, of which George Pepperdine is president and E[rnest] R. Baker is manager. The company has for its motto, “Everything for the Ford.” There is nothing which this remarkable machine needs that the Western Auto Supply Agency does not carry.
The item went on that “this being the annual edition of The Tidings it is with a gerat [sic] deal of pleasure that we call attention to this firm,” of which it was remarked that the “cordiality” with which they showed to customers made it popular.” Moreover, it was commented that “their business career has been one of giving satisfaction to all of their customers and no one can go amiss in making their place a visit” as “once inspected it is almost a certainty that you will return.”
In October, a branch was opened in Pasadena and in June 1918 George Pepperdine, Incorporated was established by George, Lena and Baker, this latter remaining with Western until 1951. Four months later, business was so good, despite the entry of the United States into the First World War and issues with civilian industrial production as war materiel was needed, that Western moved to a new location on Grand Avenue near 9th Street. This is where the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise (FIDM) operates now as part of Arizona State University.
An ad announcing the move informed the public “you will be glad to know that Los Angeles now has the largest and most complete Retail Auto Supply Store in California” and, after thanking its patrons, asserted “there must be a reason why you motorists flock to our store and swell our sales to hundreds of thousands of dollars.” It offered that this was because Western gave customers more for their money and took back defective items with dispatch through an “ironclad guarantee [that] goes with every sale.” Lastly, the piece listed other stores in Phoenix and Seattle, as it continued its expansion through western America.
In a separate article in the Times, also of 6 October, it was remarked that,
Too much business is usually welcomed and not regarded as a both, especially in war times, but for once it has had a troublesome result. This time business has been so good with the Western Auto Supply Agency that a change of location has been forced which, although a sign of prosperity, is troublesome in mid season.
A week later, the paper, under the heading of “BUSINESS IS BOOMING,” commented that “Southern California is not only a fine place to live, but is also a fine place for business, in the opinion of George Pepperdine.” It continued that, “after a breakdown in health Mr. Pepperdine came to Southern California early in 1916 for the purpose of resting at least one year,” but, “seeing the great opportunity open here for this line of business, he could not resist taking advantage of it.”
He began humbly, with a small location and just $5,000 in inventory, but, with the rapid growth in business, “very soon the stock had to be doubled, then doubled again and again until it is now over $70,000.” That first store was enlarged and four adjoining buildings were rented, while tires and wheels were “placed in public warehouses.” The new space, however, had 13,000 square feet, making Western “the real headquarters for motorists’ supplies” and “a regular department store of automobile goods.”
In its number of the 20th, the Times expanded on this last statement, in which the “largest retail auto supply house in the West” not only had a much larger space, but the paper noted that,
One of the features of the new store is the unique arrangement whereby the stock is divided up into departments like a regular department store, and it is understood that regular department store methods will be used in the sale of the same. Mr. George Pepperdine . . . has made a close study of merchandising of automobile accessories, and through the fact that they have a number of these large stores in various cities, they are able to do business on [a] smaller margin.
Although there were only about three weeks left in the war, the Los Angeles Express, also of the 20th, referred to the benefit to Western’s accessories business because of conditions in the late stages of the conflict, remarking that the environment meant “greatly curtailed production of new cars . . . and the necessity of making the old car do service longer.” This situation was such that “owners are taking better care of their machines” including “fitting up their cars themselves, where in pre-war times such work was entrusted to a garage or repair shop.”
In the Express of 1 December, Pepperdine authored an article, illustrated with a half-dozen photos, two of which showed women applying grease to the rear axle and putting graphite on suspension springs, in which he elaborated upon the theme of owner maintenance of their vehicles. He wrote that the increasing cost of labor in professional shops was a factor, but so was the assertion that “a great deal of pleasure and benefit is derived from keeping the car in trim.”
Notably, when it came to who was caring for their own autos, Pepperdine noted that “the calling into the military forces of so many young men who were driving the family car, left the task for sister, and she has not been slow in studying and mastering the various little features of motor car operation.” It was added that increasing innovations among accessory manufacturers “go a long ways to make her mechanical labor smooth,” including a spring leaf spreader for graphite application, a cone-shaped piece for better tightening of grease cups, a long grease gun for dealing with axles, a jack with an extended handle for replacing tires, a long-handled socket wrench for easier removal of crankcase nuts and a carriage with castors to get under cars.
An advertisement from the same day showed how much more investment and sophistication was put into Western’s marketing, as a new mascot was unveiled, a dapper gent named “Saving Sam,” who stood next to a blackboard with the statement that the enterprise was the biggest auto parts store in western America.
In its 10 November edition, this being the day prior to Armistice Day, as the world war mercifully came to a close, a headline posited that “SAVING SAM NOW POPULAR PERSON,” as “many motorists have learned to admire the pleasing little character . . . and these many friends watch for him each week” in new ads “and the good message he invariably brings.” This, of course, meant a large assortment of accessories and parts for the mail-order and retail aspects of Western’s operations.
Reflective of broader developments in marketing, the Times of 29 February 1920 observed that “as advertising has increased in value to the automobile and accessory dealer, so have trade marks, slogans and trade characters increased proportionately.” Pepperdine, who oversaw 15 stores as far east as Chicago and whose knack for publicity and advertising was clear, was quoted as uttering,
When we first started in business, we tried to secure a trade slogan or character that would fully characterize the quality and economy for which we stood, and would at the same time represent the ideals under which we carried on our business. We wanted a character that would stand out so as to give the people a feeling of confidence in our advertisements. [With “Saving Sam”] we find that he fully characterizes the business and economic buying and merchandising.
In the postwar environment, Western’s expansion continued apace, with Pepperdine, in spring 1919, opening new stores in Chicago and Dallas. The owner told the press that, “the automobile is becoming more and more part of our business and commercial life” not just for pleasure, as well as, in many area, year-round use. Even those places in which owners stored their vehicles for the winter, they “have learned the advantages of putting their cars in shape for spring and summer touring.”
The opening in the Windy City was such that, the store on Michigan Boulevard contained “a buying office and a large warehouse for a sort of central supply station for our chain of stores.” Pepperdine added, “Chicago is the hub of the automobile accessory industry” and was to that line what Detroit was for cars. Moreover, being located in the Midwestern metropolis meant that Western was “in the closest touch with accessory manufacturers.”
A little over two months later, the firm expanded its presence in the Golden State with the opening of stores in the auto row of San Francisco and at the capital city of Sacramento. Pepperdine added, “within a month or so we will also open stores in Oakland and Fresno” and commented that “our plans are complete to open in Des Moines [Iowa] and Minneapolis this summer as well.”
The Express of 23 October 1920 informed readers that Western “has consolidated its stores in the Rocky mountain and Pacific coast district into one company with headquarters at Los Angeles, forming the $3,000,000 corporation” that became the Western Auto Supply Company. Despite an economic recession, Pepperdine affirmed “all of our stores are doing a wonderful business” and the downturn meant that manufacturers were dropping prices to move inventory.” He added that there would be price adjustments in the next year and this meant moving “much nearer to normal conditions.”
One benefit is that the company executed big contracts that extended further into the future, allowing it to keep costs down, so that retail prices were largely unchanged over some years and even for those items that did have increases, they were modest. Some of Pepperdine’s history with Western was recited, including the observation that, in 1909, he began with $100 in merchandise and displayed in just a single showcase and a desk in the corner of a garage. Just over a decade later, there were almost 500,000 customers and more than $4 million in sales.
As to the Los Angeles store, it’s humble stock of under $5,000 when opened in March 1916 grew to some $200,000 four years later with sales of about $700,000 annually. Growth was such that Pepperdine anticipated having 50 stores in a few years—and it is wondered whether the thought was that a new boom was in the near future following the economic issues after the war. Notably, the piece concluded,
Mr. Pepperdine does not hesitate to disclose the secret of his business success, and the startling fact is disclosed that it serves to discredit all the cartoonists in the country. He says the secret is in having a wife who has cooperated with him from the very beginning of his business career and to whom he attributes all the success he has achieved. This wife is Mrs. Lena Pepperdine, a young matron of grace and rare intelligence.
The Times of the following day essentially repeated this information, though it remarked that Pepperdine was a tire company bookkeeper who dreamed of starting his mail-order and retail parts enterprise, but, lacking the funds to enter into the business, took on that $100 stock by consignment. With respect to Lena, all that was said was in a caption of portraits of the couple, in which it was stated that she “has always taken an active interest in the organization.”
Having looked at some of the early history of Western Auto Supply up until the creation of the new, larger firm as the Teens came to a close, we’ll return next with part two, specifically concerning the featured artifact from our collection for this post, being a 23 July 1927 letter from the company, as well as what the firm was up to during that month. Check back soon for that!