I love traveling down Flatbush Ave past Prospect Park because there’s so much history to find hidden on every block. I noticed this Oldsmobile ghost sign (ghost sign: a business sign remaining from a long defunct business) at the corner of Avenue D and Flatbush above a liquor store:
God knows how long ago this was put in, but I’m guessing at least 50 years. Was there an Oldsmobile dealership on or near this spot? Or was it just a neon advertisement to interest Flatbush passersby?
Also: why does the clock on the reverse side have “By” written above it?
Were you able to get an Oldsmobile “by” the time on the clock? Or maybe the clock once had the business owner’s name on it. It’s doubtful, but I’ll have to drive by some time at night to see if this still lights up.
-SCOUT
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Tags: ave d · blogsherpa · Brooklyn · flatbush · ghost sign · Midwood · oldsmobile8 Comments
8 responses so far ↓
I think there may have been a “by” on the other side as well — I also think the two holes on the bottom of each side probably once held the answer to your question. They look like holes for neon tubing.
Love the blog! I look forward to every post.
Hey, I live in Flatbush! Love your blog and loved that you featured my neighborhood. More please. I don’t know that much history about it.
It looks like there also may have been more tubing under the clock? There are the same holes that the “By” tubing comes out of running along the very bottom edge. So maybe it was something like “By Blank” around the clock?
Your blog is amazing (very original comment, I know). It’s wonderful to see such interesting, rarely seen parts of the city that we all love so much!
Long time ago, I used to see outdoor clocks which said “Time By Bulova”, where the word Bulova was on the clock face. Bulova made clocks and watches, of course. I wonder if it was some kind of joint-marketing deal? I can’t see the clock face clearly in that picture.
Oldsmobile was once commonly marketed as “Oldsmobile by GM”, so I suspect the holes on the bottom that others pointed out once held “GM”.
[...] for Chrysler, Buick, Pontiac, Ford, GM, and many others (perhaps this explains last week’s Oldsmobile post – was the building a showroom?). The Studebaker building is the only one that remains in tact from [...]
RE the vintage Oldsmobile sign with the clock- back in de day, the Bulova Watch Company would advertise their wares but displayng the Bulova name on advertising clock faces. So, perhaps the sign used to reqd: “Oldsmobile by:” (then the clock face marked with the word’ ‘Bulova”.
Love your website, it’s fascinating and your research, images and writing is stellar.