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.

1934

Looking south
on
Crescent Boulevard
mid-1930s

Community Motors Ford
can be seen at far left

Click on Image to Enlarge

Below you will find reproduced the 12 page booklet that Ed Berglund
had printed to introduce his new building.

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

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

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 - Harry L. Van Sciver

Francis J. Hufner - Housing Authority of the City of Camden - Clement T. Branch Village

The berglund group also sold Renault and Simca on the Boulevard for a time. 

Berglund Ford

1959 Yellow Pages
Clipart

Berglund Ford closed shop in the 1980s. One of the last dealerships to leave the Boulevard, the building was operated as a maintenance facility by the Trailways Bus corporation a while. After Trailways went bankrupt, the building was  was razed. There still is a presence in Camden, as the Ford Motors engine business that was a part of the Berglund enterprise is still in business 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.

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