Introduction
Edmund Berglund was operating a Ford dealership called Community Motors on Crescent Boulevard in Collingswood NJ in 1934. By the mid-1940s he had moved his business, then known as Berglund Ford, to the Admiral Wilson Boulevard at 17th Street in Camden NJ. Around 1955 he opened up a new building on that site, which became a Camden landmark for years to follow. Berglund Ford closed in the 1980s and the building was eventually razed.
Berglund Ford was one of the last dealerships to leave the Boulevard. The building was operated as a maintenance facility by the Trailways Bus corporation for a time. After Trailways went bankrupt, the building was razed. The Ford Motors engine business that was a part of the Berglund enterprise continued in East Camden, just off of Admiral Wilson Boulevard.
The site had been considered as a location for a building to replace the Pennsauken Mart, which is scheduled for demolition in 2005. These plans came to naught for a variety of reasons, and the site remains empty today.
The Berglund group also sold Renault and Simca on the Boulevard for a time.
Community Motors (1934)
Community Motors Ford, 1934. Looking south on Crescent Boulevard in the mid-1930s — Community Motors Ford can be seen at far left.
New Building Booklet (~1955)
Twelve-page booklet printed by Ed Berglund to introduce his new building at Admiral Wilson Boulevard and 17th Street, Camden NJ, circa 1955.
1962 Letterhead and Documents
Named: Berglund Ford Letterhead, 1962. Actual written quote on a 1962 Ford F-350 Chassis & Cab with Dump Body Truck. Francis J. Hufner, Housing Authority of the City of Camden, and Clement T. Branch Village..
Reader Memory — Charles Rimby
I worked at Berglund Ford for from 1954 till 1976. When I started there we also had a cafeteria over the show room an employed four women to prepare and serve meals.
— Charles Rimby
Reader Memory — Joellyn Dorkin
Berglund Ford is a large part of the Dorkin family history—it was the place where my father made his first (and probably only) impulse purchase in his life.
It was 1961. We were driving an aqua and black Buick Special which was a real lemon. The new, sleek, bullet-shaped Thunderbirds had just come out. My father piled all four of us in the car and we went to Berglund Ford—just to look.
The salesman sized up Dad, and watched him ogling the T-bird. Sidled up to him and says, “You know, Dr. Dorkin, you should be driving something much better than that Buick. A Buick isn’t good enough for a doctor.” Put his arm around Dad’s shoulder. “Let me take a look at the Buick and see what I can give for it.”
Shortly thereafter, Dad was writing out a check for $4100 (he always said his hand was shaking—that was huge in those days!). We cleaned out the Buick—they quickly detailed the T-bird—and we drove right out through those big glass showroom doors.
It was one of my father’s very favorite memories. How wonderful to finally put a dealership name to what I kept seeing in my mind’s eye!
— Joellyn Dorkin, May 3, 2006
1961 Ford Thunderbird
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Berglund Ford advertisements. The Berglund group also sold Renault and Simca on the Boulevard for a time. Berglund Ford, 1959 Yellow Pages Clipart.
1966 Postcard
Berglund Ford — Postcard from 1966