A variety of Crosley styles and model years are stored in the dealership’s warehouse at 510 Brown St. in Paducah. records in eight separate classes from April to October 2011 in Maxton, N.C.; and has set records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Jeff has been gone for 24 years, but each time Gerald carefully climbs into the small racer’s driving compartment, reattaches the steering wheel and straps in, his son is in his thoughts. Cars always have been a part of Gerald’s and his wife, Emma’s, life. Te two owned Davenport Auto Paint at 1010 Brown St. in Paducah. After Jeff’s death, Gerald told Emma that if he were still alive in 1996 he was going to get out of the auto paint business and open the Crosley dealership. Not knowing how to take Gerald’s idea, Emma and others he told all responded about the same way: “No, really, Gerald, what are you going to do?” And who opens the world’s largest Crosley dealership anyway? “Only someone stupid enough to put so many Crosleys in one place,” Gerald laughs as he offers that bit of self-deprecating humor. Actually, it were as if Gerald was guided to open the dealership. Te Crosley was manufactured from 1939 to 1952 in Cincinnati. Te company only sold about 25,000 Crosleys over its lifetime and was responsible for some really important firsts: the first sports utility vehicle and the first American sports car, for example. Crosley inspired many other makes and models to follow. And it inspired Jeff Davenport, who owned two Crosleys. Just before his death, Jeff planned to go into business with Gerald, who was changing the family business name to “Davenport & Son.” With Jeff gone, though, Gerald dedicated the Crosley dealership’s opening in 1996 to his son and set it up across the street from the paint shop. Strangely enough, though, the addresses appeared five blocks apart, from the paint shop at 1010 Brown St. to the dealership’s address at 500 Brown St. “Who knows why,” Gerald says about the differences in addresses. But the warehouse next door to the dealership, where Gerald stores more Crosleys, is at 510 Brown St. Te sum of the two dealership addresses comes to 1010. Te number 1010 popped up regularly for him and his wife, Emma. -- 1010 N. Kickapoo, Lincoln, Ill. Gerald was directed to a Crosley museum at that address to purchase some cars when the museum liquidated its inventory. -- When Gerald was asked to witness at a church, the second Sunday in October was better than the last Sunday in September, which was scheduled. Te date of the second Sunday in October? 10/10. -- Numerous times over the years, appointments were set and times were given at 1010: 10 minutes after 10, 10 minutes before10, digital clocks reading 10:10 at important points in the Davenport’s lives. JANUARY 2015 PROMOTING EVENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE INTHEVUE.COM
