Lathrop G. Hoffman Son of a Studebaker President

[StudeRich]

Tomorrow April 2, is the 5th. anniversary of the 2014 Passing of Lathrop G. Hoffman the Son of, Paul G. Hoffman former President of Studebaker Corp.

He had quite a FULL life:
In 1953 he acquired his Father's Paul G. Hoffman Co. Studebaker Dealership in Downtown Los Angeles.

When Studebaker closed in the United States, he established Hoffman Tile, manufacturing ceramic tile in Claremont.
In 1971, he purchased the Volkswagen dealership on Sierra Avenue in Fontana. Since then, he has owned franchises for Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daihatsu, Dodge, Fiat, GMC, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Isuzu, Jeep, Lincoln-Mercury, Maserati, Mazda, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Porsche, Ram, Saturn, Subaru and Volkswagen. Over the years, he had stores in Fontana, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Monrovia, Duarte, Alhambra, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Fort Bragg and Eureka.

This is the Los Angeles Times Obituary:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=lathrop-gray-hoffman&pid=170500979

Here is His "The Legacy.com" Webpage and Guestbook:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/lathrop-hoffman-obituary?pid=170493789&view=guestbook&utm_source=MarketingCloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GBAnniversaryEmail_20190313&utm_content=AddtoGuestBook

[abkco]

I went to grad school with the nephew of Lathrop Hoffman, Krishna Hoffman. I can't recall the first name of his father, (the brother of Lathrop). I do know that Krishna's mother was Indian and that the couple met during WW2 when he was stationed in India. The father was a nice guy, who didn't talk much about Studebaker. He seemed to be not that interested in the history of his father, Paul Hoffman. He just didn't want to talk about him.

[Cowtown Commander]

How late was the Paul Hoffman company associated with Studebaker, did they remain with Studebaker into the 60's? I know that company was a large distributor for Studebaker in the 20's and 30's but when the auto manufacturers eliminated distributors many of the companies were not able to adapt to the revised market conditions. I noted there is a Hoffman auto group in California- is this a reminate of Paul's's company? Wasn't Frost and French the largest dealer when production moved to Canada? It's too bad Paul's sons weren't able to share their fathers involvement with important Studebaker events and world events as I believe he was associated with both the Marshall Plan and the Ford Foundation.

[StudeRich]

The article indicates to the end of 1963, by saying to the end of U.S. Production.

I do not know for sure, that could be off a few years, but also may be correct.

Frost and French was one of the very few Latest operating Official Studebaker Dealers, and COULD have been the largest of the few, way beyond 1966. They also became the West Coast Factory Warehouse by about 1970, for SASCO Div. of Studebaker Corp.

[Studebaker Wheel]

Thanks for posting this. I knew Lathrop by correspondence and a telephone call. He wrote a lengthy letter in 2009 with information about the family. Much too involved to get into here but Lathrop sent a contribution to the Antique Studebaker Club and was made an honorary member until his passing. I know to many Sherwood Egbert is their Studebaker hero but Paul G. has always been mine. If it had not been for him there would not have been a Sherwood Egbert or for that matter much left of Studebaker after 1933.

[WinM1895]

The article indicates to the end of 1963, by saying to the end of U.S. Production.

I do not know for sure, that could be off a few years, but also may be correct.

Frost and French was one of the very few Latest operating Official Studebaker Dealers, and COULD have been the largest of the few, way beyond 1966. They also became the West Coast Factory Warehouse by about 1970, for SASCO Div. of Studebaker Corp.

AFAIK, Hoffman's first LA location: Paul G. Hoffman Studebaker, 1240 S. Figueroa (Bob's resource says 1248, but this is incorrect). Building extant, now a Hooters restaurant and etc retail stores.

After Hoffman moved out, it was a Nash dealership under several different names, one of which was Nash California Co. The building stood empty after Nash moved out for quite awhile, then it became Family Ford...which only lasted a few years. My mom bought a 1996 Contour there as a pal of mine was the fleet sales manager.

Bob's resource has nothing on this location and this was a HUGE building. Edit: The building is shown in two photos, as is the reference to the new (Statler) hotel, but Bob's resource has the wrong address listed.

Hoffman moved circa 1931 to a former Hudson dealership on the west side of Figueroa between 7th & 8th Streets. The property was sold in the 1950's and a hotel was erected on the property. Recently that hotel was demolished and a huge high rise hotel took its place.

Hoffman moved to another location on Figueroa, the address on Bob's resource seems to me to be incorrect. I remember it at Washington & Figueroa.

At some point in the 1950's, probably 1957/58...Marshall & Clampett was the Studebaker-Packard dealer at 1800 S. Figueroa. This means that Hoffman no longer had a downtown LA location. This building is extant, restored several years ago.

Earle C. Anthony never sold Studebakers or 'Packabakers' was appointed the CA Edsel Distributor in 1957 by Edsel Division prez James J. Nance, former prez of Packard, then Studebaker-Packard.

After the Edsel became the dead-sell, Anthony took on a L/M franchise adding DKW. When he died in 1961, the Packard parts were sold to Front & French. Bob told me the huge pile of parts took weeks to put away. The Anthony Packard building @ 1000 S. Hope Street (it was recently converted to condos) became part of the Federal Reserve Bank kitty-corner across the street. Building was covered with aluminum sheeting with only a garage door remaining visible. A tunnel was dug between the Federal Reserve and Anthony for safe transport of money.

You know from the Hemming's blog that I'm a 'nut' when it comes to Los Angeles area car dealers. The LA Library has dozens of old phone books..and I've looked at all of them, copying the info on stuff I'm interested in.