Bob Contich Volkswagen East 5th Street
Bob Contich Motors Inc. was located at 117 East 5th Street, near French Street. The dealership sold Volkswagen automobiles. There is a white VW sitting in front of the showroom. When we were kids we used to punch each other in the arm whenever we saw a VW, which seemed to be quite often. This was a fun game we used to play when we went on a long trip, second only to poking each other and counting the number of different states we would see on license plates.
The Contich building was torn down and the site is now occupied by Erie Insurance.
Volkswagen had a television commercial in the nineties with the slogan 'Fahrvergnugen...Driving Excitement (or something like that). No matter what the literal meaning, it's a fun word to say out loud.
Enjoy more historic Erie, PA facts and photos at: oldtimeerie.blogspot.com
Per the 'handy' ''WIKIPEDIA'' Fahrvergnügen (German pronunciation: [ˈfaːɐ̯.fɛɐ̯ˌɡnyːɡn̩]) was an advertising slogan used by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen in a 1990 U.S. ad campaign that included a stick figure driving a Volkswagen car.[1]
ReplyDeleteThat German term means "driving enjoyment" in English (from fahren, "to drive," and Vergnügen, "enjoyment"). One of the tag lines incorporating the word was: "Fahrvergnügen: It's what makes a car a Volkswagen." Regards, Bill Wittenberg
Salvatore Randazzo is my father in law.He came from sicily to New York City in the 60`s.He was a mechanic and came to Erie and went to work for Bob Contich around 70.He than opened his own place on 21st and Parade called Sal Randazzos and Son auto garage and its still there.
ReplyDeleteI just drove by Randazzo's today on my way to Mighty Fine Donuts. The VW bug on top of the semi always catches my eye. I used to live a couple of blocks from Randazzo's and would get pizza across the street at DiSil's, which was owned by Mr. DiBacco, one of our teachers at Academy. Small world!
DeleteMy father Bob was parts manager and worked with Sal.I Remember walking there with my mom we lived down the street next too St.Pats.
DeleteMy brother worked there in the late 60's early 70's!
DeleteI grew up a block east of here in the 50s. It was a MoPar dealer at that time.
ReplyDeletei have an old lighter they used to give away any idea on how to refill it
ReplyDelete