Pictures were taken by my Grandfather of the 1970 Grand Opening of the Volkswagen Dealership as “Dick Horrigan Volkswagen” located at 1211 Lancaster Ave in the late 1960s. Before this is was under the name Nick Ciliberti. It was diagonally across the street from the Red Barn Restaurant. Today, it is occupied by Glass & Son’s Collision Repair. Did you ever buy a car here?
I believe this was Nick Ciliberti Motors.
Are you sure it wasn’t Horrigan VW??
Not sure if it was Horrigan in the 60’s but it was in the mid 70’s. I knew someone who was a salesman there.
It was Nick Ciliberti VW first, and later Horrigan. I bought a new VW in 1963 from Ciliberti at the dealership on Lancaster Ave. The bumper on the yellow VW dates the pictures to between 1968 – 1973. I don’t know if the grand opening banner refers to the change in ownership or a renovated Ciliberti building, as I had left the area by that time and don’t know when Horrigan bought the dealership.
MY NAME IS MARK ANDERSON, MY FATHER WALLY WAS A SALESMAN AND GENERAL MGR FOR NICK FROM 1953 TILL NICK PASSED IN 1969, MRS CILIBERTI WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE FRANCHISE BECAUSE SHE WAS A FEMALE! I HAVE MANY PHOTOS OF 1211 LANCASTER FROM THE 1960’S. CILIBERTI’ HAD A RACE TEAM,VW BEETLE,FORMULA 1 CAR AND A 912, ALSO PHOTO’S FROM THOSE DAYS. IN 1960 MY PARENTS LIVED IN MR MRS CILIBERTI’S HOME AT 1204 OLD WYOMISSING BLVD,THATS WERE I GREW UP!
My Dad bought all his VWs and one Porsche from Nick Ciliberti back in the 1950s and early 60s. He mostly dealt with Carl Deem who became a friend of the family but I remember Wally. When we were out and about on Friday nights we would stop by the dealership to see what was new. We moved to Florida in 1962 when I was 9 years old nut when we visited Reading we would always stop by and say hello. I got my first ride in a Porsche 911 there when we visited in the summer of 1966. It was Irish Green and it was already sold to a doctor but Wally was nice enough to give us a ride.
I BELEIVE IT BECAME DICK HORIGAN IN 1970, MY FATHER WENT ON TO OWN PERFORMANCE TOYOTA IN WEST LAWN PA AND VALLEY TOYOTA IN SELINSGROVE PA IN 1977 TILL HIS PASSING IN 1993
CILIBERTI STARTED IN A BUILDING IN THE 50’S JUST DOWN THE STREET,WILL ASK MY MOTHER,SHE WILL REMEMBER. AFTER THEY MOVED TO 1211 THE OLD BUILDING WAS A POOL BUSINESS HOPE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE, THIS IS MY CHILDHOOD GROWING UP AT THE DEALERSHIP
I once owned a 1978 Plymouth Horizon. I needed parts for transmission. Went to Lindgren Chrysler Plymouth and they didn’t have them. Guy sent me over to Horrigan VW and they had what I needed. You see the trans was the same as a VW Rabbit’s.
Came back from Vietnam in June of 1970. Bought a new 1970 VW Beetle in late July if I remember correctly from Nick Ciliberti.