At the beginning of the last century Tuberculosis was a
major problem. In fact, the disease
(rather an infection) has been with the world since the dawn of time. Egyptologists have found traces of
tuberculosis in the remains of ancient mummies. TB, or “consumption” attacks the lungs of the
infected and it was not fully understood until the 1880s when it was determined
that unsanitary conditions led to the spread of the infection. By the 1950s medical treatments had been
perfected to control TB. At one point in
the late 1800s 25% of all deaths throughout Europe were TB related. It was also a major problem in the United
States, so much so that special hospitals were created not so much to heal the
sick but to quarantine the disease. One
American, George Pepperdine had TB. In spite of his illness he was building a large fortune.
Pepperdine (pictured) was a Kansan by birth and he was a car fan. In 1908 Pepperdine saw the public’s reaction
to Ford’s all new Model T. It was the car
for the everyman: affordable, practical and it came in black. Pepperdine just one year later started a mail
order business shipping auto parts throughout the United States. New owners of the Model T and other new cars needed
replacement parts and Pepperdine was ready to handle the orders. The company was a minor success in Kansas but
it really took off in 1916 when Pepperdine with his young wife and family in
tow, moved to Los Angeles. His wife felt
the agreeable Southern California weather would help with his consumption. She was right. The Golden State was also the salve the mail
order company needed. Soon, the business
evolved into a retail store and Western Auto was born. By 1960, 1,200 Western Auto Stores stretched
from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
Western Auto sold just about everything automotive related: New
parts, replacement parts and specialty parts.
They also sold bikes and one in particular has become somewhat legendary,
the Western Flyer. Pepperdine had
manufacturing contracts with many US-based builders such as Huffman and Murray. One company to build Western Flyers was the Shelby
Cycle Company in Shelby, Ohio. In the late
1930s Shelby unveiled the Western Speedline Airflo (pictured). Like most of the balloon tire bikes of the era
it was heavy, just about 75 pounds but the lines and tubing were classic. The bikes sold for about $70 then but today
an Airflo in great shape can fetch over $1,000.
Each year Western debuted a new bike design and each year had a specific
color scheme and unique serial numbering system. The bikes were so popular they sold well each
year until being discontinued in 1959.
It was also in the late 1950s that Western Auto began to see
some decline. The company had done well
for decades but Mr. Pepperdine was in ailing health. Pepperdine loathed his great fortune. A Godly man, he was devoted to a higher power
and felt his fortune would be better served helping youth. In 1937 he founded Pepperdine University and
at his death in 1962 the school received the bulk of his net worth. One year prior to his passing Pepperdine sold
Western Auto. The company then had a
number of parent companies (Sears and Advance Auto Parts were two). Advance finally ended the Western Auto brand
in 2003. The company headquarters
building still stands in Kansas City, Missouri.
In recent years the 12-story structure was converted to luxury condominiums.
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