Main Street Motors

The automotive theme once again draws from an idea in the first 1920s version of Main Street, U.S.A., where the plan already included pairing a car dealership with a gas pump. This approach reflects the intent to show a town in transition, where technological progress is becoming part of everyday life.

The building takes inspiration from Village Cigars in Greenwich Village. Its single story façade, lower than the neighboring buildings, allows for rooftop advertising signs.

An essential element for Eddie Sotto, who wanted to highlight an American graphic culture that is both commercial and artistic.

Some of these signs are framed by caryatids modeled after Gibson Girls.

Among them, one poster references the Columbia Typewriter, a direct nod to the film Hello, Dolly!.

The façade uses reddish brown and dark green tones associated with the automotive world, reinforcing a more masculine reading of the space.

On the sidewalk, a real 1916 gas pump was installed and restored for the occasion.

At the park’s opening, vintage cars and period objects turned the interior into an automotive showroom.

Several collector vehicles were actually offered for sale. According to Eddie Sotto, the idea was even that the buyer could leave the showroom behind the wheel, driving down Main Street during the parade.