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| Image courtesy David Ellis Facebook |
If you have been driving down Roscoe Blvd as long as I have near Canoga Avenue, you have probably noticed the unique design of the David Ellis Chrysler and Jeep in Canoga Park Showroom with the "umbrella" fascia (shown below in the 3rd picture down) exhibiting the classic Googie architecture of Mid Century Modernism (MCM) exhibited throughout many of the original Southern California dealerships.
One random day I was thinking to myself, "thank god that David Ellis Chrysler and Jeep still has that unique design." Well lo and behold, I was driving in the area recently and noticed that the front fascia of the showroom underwent a significant renovation. Sadly, the showroom "face" has been updated to today's standard and nothing of the 60's era influence remains. I didnt think it would actually happen but it did and is another reminder that the MCM culture is slowly disappearing although it remains highly popular in culture today as evidenced by the success of the hit TV show Mad Men set in the 1960s.
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| Image courtesy David Ellis Facebook |
Luckily, there have been attempts in the SFV to save Googie architecture like the Casa de Cadillac showroom which recently completed its own renovation and the still standing former Clem Ruh Chevy dealership also in Canoga Park with the "curved arrow" sign standing high in the sky.
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| Image courtesy David Ellis Facebook |
The David Ellis family have been a long fixture in the Canoga Park community as they have been in operation for over 40 years and are the last remaining dealerships on Roscoe Blvd which at one time if my memory serves me correctly was also home to a Jim Bess Nissan, Jim Bess Volvo, Valley Park Ford, Hyundai?, Kia?, and there was actually a boat dealership. These are all gone and relocated to more automotive dealership friendly locations like Van Nuys.
The former dealerships are now being replaced by apartment buildings (shown below) such as The Verandas which make residents feel like they are living in luxury naming their floor plans, The Rodeo, The Whilshire, and The Beverly adding onto the housing stock that I wonder if we actually need more apartment rentals rather than building factories that produce high paying jobs. So now I am wondering if David Ellis will eventually be forced out especially with the extension of the Orange Line Busway.
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| New apartment construction in the foreground with the newly built Verandas Apartments in the background. next to the David Ellis Dodge Dealership. |
