BUYING A CAR IN SCHAUMBURG TOWNSHIP

Most people in Schaumburg Township know that Golf Road has always been the place to go car shopping.  And, if it’s not Golf Road itself, it’s darned close to Golf Road.

Part of what makes Golf Road so ideal is its easy-to-get-to location off of Route 53 and I-90.  Plus, it is a long stretch of road that winds through a fair number suburbs to the east and brings many car buyers to Schaumburg Township.  Hence, its earlier name–the Evanston-Elgin Road–as it used to be called.

When someone recently suggested a blog posting on the car dealerships of Schaumburg Township, I thought I’d start a list that readers could contribute to.  After combing through various phone books dating back to 1982, I’ve compiled the following list.  Because we do not have any before that date, there is an obvious gap in the listing.  This is where you come in…

If I’ve forgotten one of the NEW car dealerships please make a comment or send me an email.  I’ll be happy to add it to the list!

• Advantage Suzuki of Schaumburg
  650 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Audi Hoffman Estates
  1200 W. Golf Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Bob Rohrman Schaumburg Ford
  815 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Bob Rohrman Schaumburg Lincoln
  1200 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Colonial Chevrolet (Est. November 1971)
  1100 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Ed Murphy Buick-Opel-Suzuki-Volkswagen
  1000 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Fireside Chrysler Plymouth
  1020 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Fireside Imports-Fiat, Mazda
  1020 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Fox Valley Volkswagen Schaumburg
  1000 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Franklin Weber Pontiac  (Est. 1968)
  100 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Harbor Pontiac  (Est. 1996)
  100 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Jacobs Davids Bierk Cadillac
  526 Mall Drive
  Schaumburg
• Jeep Eagle of Schaumburg
  920 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Land Rover Hoffman Estates
  1051 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Larry Faul Oldsmobile-Peugeot-GMC Truck Co.
  1230 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Larry Faul Pontiac Subaru
  100 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates
  1000 W. Golf Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Muller’s Woodfield Acura
  1099 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Napleton’s Schaumburg Pontiac-GMC Trucks  (Est. 2001)
  100 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Napleton Subaru
  911 W. Higgins Road
  Schaumburg
• Northwest Acura
  1099 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Northwest Lincoln-Mercury
  1200 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Patrick BMW
  700 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Patrick Cadillac
  526 Mall Drive
  Schaumburg
• Patrick Hyundai
  1020 E. Golf Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Patrick Mini
  700 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Patrick Saab
  524 Mall Drive
  Schaumburg
• Patrick Volvo
  526 Mall Drive
  Schaumburg
• Resnick Automotive Group
  350 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Robert Harris’ Woodfield Oldsmobile/GMC Truck
  1230 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Roselle AMC Jeep
  920 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Roselle Dodge
  208 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Saturn of Hoffman Estates
  125 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Schaumburg AMC (Pacer, Gremlin, Hornet, Matador)
  921 W. Higgins Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Audi
  320 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Chrysler Plymouth Mazda
  1020 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Datsun
  910 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Dodge
  208 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Honda
  750 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Hyndai
  690 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Isuzu
  650 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Lincoln-Mercury
  1200 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Mitsubishi
  660 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Oldsmobile
  1230 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Saturn
  125 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Schaumburg Subaru
  911 W. Higgins Road
  Schaumburg
• Schaumburg Toyota Scion  (Est. 1978)
  875 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Suburban Volkswagen
  320 W. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Woodfield Chevrolet-Geo
  1100 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Woodfield Ford
  815 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Woodfield Hummer
  1100 E. Golf Road
  1230 E. Golf Road (later)
  Schaumburg
• Woodfield Hyundai
  125 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Woodfield Lexus
  155 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Woodfield Mazda
  Golf Road
  Schaumburg
• Woodfield Nissan
  700 W. Higgins Road
  Hoffman Estates
• Ziegler Chevrolet
  1230 E. Golf Road
  Schaumburg

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

 

FRANKLIN-WEBER PONTIAC: THEY BUILT EXCITEMENT!

When the first residents of Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg began moving in, they were virtually surrounded by farm fields.  To get to a grocery, hardware or clothing store it was necessary to drive to Roselle, Palatine or Elgin.  Needless to say, for most of these new residents who moved from Chicago, a car was an absolute must.  But where to buy one?

The dream of being able to purchase a car in Schaumburg Township  didn’t become a reality until 1968.  That was the year Franklin-Weber Pontiac  jumped to the front of the Golf Road car dealers and opened its doors.  Anticipating the coming boom, John Mathias, president of the dealership, moved his dealership from Chicago to Schaumburg.  The dealership was built at 100 W. Golf Road, just west of Roselle under the oversight of Dick Frankis.  The 22,000 square foot facility cost $500,000 to build.  (Daily Herald, July 17, 1968)  Considering Franklin-Weber began its franchise in 1926 and was Chicago’s oldest Pontiac dealer at the time, it was obviously quite a decision to take the leap and move to the area. 

They offered “new Pontiacs and fully guaranteed used cars in addition to a complete service and parts department.”   A body shop and complete  insurance –finance division were part of the business as well.  John Mathias’ partner was Nicholas Bergadon who was vice-president and sales manager at the new location. They also hired area residents as well.  Herb Gibson, a Hoffman Estates village trustee, was hired to be insurance-finance manager and involved in sales.  Art Danz of Hoffman Estates was named used car manager and John Soderholm would be the parts department manager. 

After opening on July 29, 1968, the dealership got busy and by October of that same year were already gaining the appreciation of the local villages.  According to an article in the October 18 edition of the Daily Herald, Schaumburg Police Chief, Martin Conroy noted that Franklin Weber was the only dealership to submit a bid for four new police cars.   The village board approved the bid.

With a slogan of “Nobody Beats Our Price,”  Franklin-Weber proved their worth and stayed in business for quite a number of years until it became Larry Faul Pontiac sometime in 1985/86 followed by Harbor Pontiac in late 1996.  In November 2001, it became known as Schaumburg Pontiac GMC and was purchased by Steve Napleton.  According to an interview with Mr. Napleton in the May 28, 2006 issue of the Daily Herald, “We felt it was time to update the grounds so in the spring of 2004, we put in new landscaping a new parking lot and lighting.  We knocked down the entire store and rebuilt it.”   The location is now Napleton’s Schaumburg Buick GMC.

Now that the Pontiac line has been phased out, Franklin-Weber will be remembered as THE Pontiac dealership in Schaumburg Township.

(All dates in the second-to-last paragraph came from appearances in the Daily Herald.) 

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org