Building History

Beginning in 1918, brothers Leslie and Sidney H. "Buster" Kelley (d. 12/05/2001 in Norco, CA) sold various brands of used cars including Ford Model Ts. Buicks, Overlands, Studebakers, Moons, Cadillacs, Hudsons, and Appersons at a lot at 1228 South Olive Street. (See Kelley's Kars classified advertisement, Los Angeles Evening Express, 08/15/1919, p. 24.)

Over the next decade, the brothers expanded operations to other locations downtown, opening a second store at 1039-1041 South Olive Street by 09/1920. (See Kelley's Kars classified advertisement, Los Angeles Evening Express, 09/18/1920, p. 25.) Likely, the brothers could utilize vacant Downtown lots for parking their cars and erect only small sheds on them for salesmen.

In 1925, a portion of the Kelley Kar Company stood at 1212 South Olive Street in Downtown Los Angeles, CA. Here at 1212 South Olive, the dealership sold Red Crown Gasoline. (See Red Crown Gasoline advertisement, Los Angeles Times, 06/17/1925, p. 11.)

Kelley also opened a new dealership c. 09/1925 at 1834 South Figueroa Street. A Los Angeles Times classified advertisement of 09/20/1925, read: "Just opened new store. Need cars very badly. Kelley Kar Co., 1834 S. Figueroa." (See "50 Cars for Cash," Los Angeles Times, 09/20/1925, p. E11.)

Over the years, the Kelley Brothers developed a reputation for their expert abilities to appraise automobiles. By 1926, they began formally producing the Kelley Blue Book, a directory which sought to regularize pricing for used cars. A website, Motor Biscuit.com, wrote: "In 1926, a car dealer, named Les Kelley and his brother, Buster, created a book that listed several different cars that he would like to one day buy for his car lot and what he was willing to pay. The book had a comprehensive, detailed list of why he was willing to pay those prices. After the book started to gain popularity, many people would visit his dealership every day in order to get their car appraised by him." (See Suse Forrest, "Where Does Kelley Blue Book Get Its Data From?" published 09/21/2019, accessed 06/06/2022.)

Kelley Blue Book became used by auto dealers across the US as an industry standard for pricing. As noted on the firm's website, the Kelley Blue Book became "...the first publication to use mileage to determine a car’s value." (See KBB.com, "History," accessed 06/06/2022.) During the 1930s, the enterprising brothers started selling automobile insurance and emergecy repair services. They also opened a very large used car dealership at 1225 South Figueroa Street during the 1930s.

PCAD id: 24410