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Sept. 14, 1932. "Goodyear service station opening, Mission Street at 11th, San Francisco." The festivities here include shrunken blimps, a giant tire tread and that cryptic confection the "Baffle Bar." 8x10 inch nitrate negative. View full size.
Baffle Bar was originally made in Oakland, CA by the Cardinet Co. The Baffle Bar was made of fruit and it was really chewy. It was also best frozen and then eaten. Cardinet sold its products to a larger major chocolate company which discontinued the bar itself.
Pepper Tree
Dark chocolate over chewy peppermint nougat, about the size of a Three Musketeer Bar.
The Baffle Bar made a comeback in either the 50's or 70's. I read articles that mentioned both eras but as a card carrying candy aficionado of the 50s I draw a blank. Below is a 70s wrapper
Here's another pic of the tread truck, found here.
The streetcar in the far right of the photo is one of San Francisco Municipal Railway's (MUNI) famous "Iron Monsters", which started to replace older wood bodied streetcars in 1914. One of these survives in operating condition, as you can see in the photo below. More details here.
The Goodyear station is long gone, but the tall building to the left and the small two-storey building to the right still exist.
Many thanks to denverlev for the Baffle Bar info, but what about the rest of the wording on the Baffle Bar truck? Something about Pepper? Is it saying the Baffle Bar is Pepper Free? Can't quite make it out.
[PEPPER TREE, another defunct candy bar. - Dave]
As the Shorpy commentariat must know by now, California Belting was the place to go for all your emery wheel, rubber belting, woodsplit pulley, and rawhide lace leather needs.
The church in question is St. Joseph's on the corner of Howard and 10th streets. It is currently in the process of being converted into condos.
That Model A is equipped with aftermarket accessory wheels. Goodyear Airwheel and General Jumbo were the major players.
Those tire sizes aren't reproduced but you will occasionally see people using those rims today to fit more modern tires.
The spires in the background belong to St. Joseph's Church at 10th and Howard Streets in San Francisco. Built in 1913, it's been abandoned since the earthquake of 1989 (seismic concerns) but there are plans afoot to convert it into a tech-centered office complex.
The assortment of vintage vehicles and "automobilia" (like the gas pumps) is just fantastic!
Can any of the Shorpy Sleuths pinpoint this intersection?
The California Belting Co next door is number 459-63.
[1459, not 459. Google California Belting 1459. The answer is Mission Street. - Dave]
Any idea which church is looming in the background? I've been looking for this spot on Google Earth and figured that might help to pinpoint its location.
There is a 1931 Model A Ford coupe in line at the gas pumps that has wheels and tires of the future. Were these sold by Goodyear? Cars in 1932 had much narrower tread with larger diameter rims.
[You are mistaken. Balloon tires were big starting in the mid-twenties. - Dave]
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