The area surrounding the historic intersection of Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike and  Newark-Pompton Turnpike has hosted a variety of businesses since the 18th Century – hotels, a funeral home, a felt factory, and so many more.  This is the story of a car dealership.

According to Tom Riley’s excellent book, “Stories about Riverdale”, Emil Scherer bought an old barn from Otis Slater, owner of Slater’s Mill, and opened for business as Scherer Motor Company. From 1922 to 1955, Emil sold Hudson, Essex, and Terraplane motor cars. Hudson was a favorite of car buyers.

Hudson Motors, founded in 1909, was named for its primary investor. Joseph L. Hudson was a Detroit department store entrepreneur and founder of Hudson’s Department Store. The goal of Hudson Motors was to produce an motor car which would sell for less than $1,000 (roughly $25,000 today). Their first year saw them sell over 4,000 cars – the highest number of first-year-sales of any car company until then. The successful venture lasted decades, and spawned dealerships all over — including Riverdale.

In 1954, Hudson merged with the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, which manufactured Nash and Rambler automobiles, and Nash-Kelvinator was re-branded as American Motors.  Their Hudson Ramblers continued to sell well at franchises nationwide.

The Rambler American continued to sell well as an affordable ‘compact’ auto.  Wikipedia notes that “The compact Rambler American was most often the lowest priced car built in the U.S. It was popular for its economy in ownership, as was proven by numerous Mobilgas Economy Run championships. After an optional second-generation AMC V8 engine was added in 1966, it also became known as a powerful compact performance model…”

Local resident John H. Vreeland bought Scherer Motors in 1955, and rebranded as Riverdale Rambler in the 1960s. According to his grandson Dave Pacailler, in 1970, Vreeland renamed the business Auto Trade Town, an American Motors franchise, which doubled as a general-purpose auto-parts store. In 1977, Vreeland dropped the franchise and sold the property.

The building became home to the Vancon Trailer and Camping Center, an RV/Trailer business. It went out of business in the early 1990s, and was razed to make way for a strip mall.

The property at 72 Hamburg Turnpike, today, is home to a strip mall.

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