DEAR SUN SPOTS: I was wondering if you can shed some light as to what happened to Jolly John’s auto dealership. Once a very noticeable car lot, it has just disappeared. I went down to to get a new jeep, but discovered when I got there that the lot was taken over by another dealer? When I asked where they moved to, I was told that no one at the dealership had any idea what I was talking about — very curious. Could Sun Spots help figure out this mystery? — Sam Esterbrook, Lewiston, rnmale01@yahoo.com

ANSWER: Sun Spots asked around the newsroom and was told that the go-to man for anything auto related is Bill McCarthy, the Sun Journal’s transportation manager.

“I can go back to the mid-1950s and, in some cases, before on local dealerships.

“Unless he was a behind-the-scenes partner with some local people, I do not think Jolly John had a dealership here. We had quite a cast of characters over the years, including Steve Cardelli at Park Motor Mart (where McDonald’s is now). He was the Sticker Smasher, breaking a windshield in every TV ad.

“Then we had Paul Cantin, who operated the Chevy dealership where Emerson Chevy is now. His ads said, ‘Come see me. I’m here all the time!’

“We had local yokels, like Marcel Moore from Marcel Motors, a Dodge Dealer on 1155 Lisbon St. in the ’60s and early ’70s. Marcel’s schtick was ‘We speak English, Nous parlons francais, but most of all, WE TALK TURKEY!’

“We had no shortage of advertising entertainment in those days. Competition? Louis Chevy in Lewiston, Paul Cantin Chevy in Auburn, Auburn Motor Sales Ford in Auburn, Jewett Ford in Lewiston. Advance Auto was by the Hilton on Franklin Street with Chrysler/DeSoto/Plymouth, selling similar products to those of Marcel Motors.

“Park Motor Mart sold Lincolns and Mercurys, as well as Bricklins, the brainchild of Malcolm Bricklin, who went on to fame by importing the biggest automotive bust in since the Simca (Marcel sold these, too) … drum roll, please … the Yugo. Park Motor Mart previously sold Nash/Rambler/AMC/Jeep products before they were soaked up by Chrysler. The Big 4 became the Big 3. Car guys used to call the Nash combine ‘Kelvinators,’ as they made more refrigerators than cars in the later years.

“Park Street used to have more car dealers in the late 1940s/early ’50s than anywhere locally. I believe I counted 19 makes there in one year (Hudsons, Packards, Studebakers, LaSalles, plus the usual stuff from above). At one time, cars were built in L-A, like the 1905 Rand steam car, and some of the early Stanleys (the Stanleys owned our building out front, but it was next door where the post office is now, and had to be moved).

“LaSalle was sold by Davis Cadillac/Olds/LaSalle in the building Chop Sticks is in now. As I think about it, 1941 was the last year for LaSalle, a Cadillac clone meant to compete in the class just below Cadillac, with the hopes LaSalle buyers would step up.”

For more information, Sun Spots turned to Jolly John’s obituary (John Pulsifer died in February). It said that he got his start in Biddeford, ending up with a chain of six dealerships in Southern Maine before declaring bankruptcy in 1991. He came back with a dealership in Saco, selling Chryslers. His wife died two years ago, and in November he sold that dealership.

Sun Spots will be astounded if she doesn’t hear from other readers on this topic.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Several years ago, the Sun Journal carried a series that featured local cooks. Each story gave a short bio and recipe. I especially enjoyed one for yeast rolls sent in by Brenda. It was excellent, but I’ve lost my copy. Could you please reprint it? I’d greatly appreciate it. — No Name, Hartford

ANSWER: Sun Spots’ colleague Heather McCarthy found Brenda Adams’ yeast roll recipe from 2005 for you.

Ingredients

2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg or Egg Beaters

1 teaspoon salt

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons instant yeast

Method

Place warm water in mixer with a dough hook attached. Add sugar, canola oil, egg, instant yeast. Add 3 cups flour; beat on medium for 2 minutes. Add remaining flour and let dough hook knead the bread for 7 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl, cover with towel and let rise until double in size. Punch down the dough, shape into rolls, place in greased pan(s). Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Yields two-dozen rolls.

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