Man buys Building to Evict Car Dealer!

How does one walk into the bank and buy a building? Was it common for banks to own rental properties?
Right - and how does one walk into a car dealership and not get mobbed by sales people trying every angle to sell you something ? We don't dress up to go look at vehicles and they are on you like gravy on rice 🍚
 
How does one walk into the bank and buy a building? Was it common for banks to own rental properties?
Reckoned he walked into the bank for a bit of cash. Then bought the building.

Given the vintage of the story, it was cash or cashier’s check. Probably didn’t have Venmo…
 
In banking, car dealerships, and jewelry stores, good salespeople understand not to “judge a book by its cover”. You never know who has money.
I am universally ignored at car dealerships, clearly something about my Uncle Fester like appearance is a clue to them... My wife and I laugh at this all the time. I have to ask for help or start the transaction online.

Some time ago, I pulled up to a 4/2/2 model home in my shiny and newish, but cheap commuter car (a red Suzuki Swift) , and was not simply ignored by the salesman, but treated very rudely when I asked questions. I thought to myself at the time, I probably have considerably more money than he does.
 
I used to love the question, asked in a snotty way:
"Can you afford to buy this car?"
And my answer:
"I can afford to buy this dealership, doesn't mean I'm going to."
 
My GF was shopping for a new car. She took along her soon to be ex husband for support and advice. He basically just kept quiet. They went into a Jag dealership because she like the sedans. They totally ignored her. She walked out and was later glad she didn't buy a Jag. Next they went to a BMW dealer. Her husband was going to buy a new 5 series. They asked about a better deal is they bought two. Guy said he had to call them back. He never called. She then went to a Volvo dealer and they treated her well and she ended up with one. In each case, the husband informed them she was buying the car.
Hopefully things have changed.
I was blown off at a Harley dealership. I had an Electra Glide but wanted to add the just introduced Soft tail Deluxe. Everything was going to fuel injected but they had one with a carb. I carried my checkbook in there to buy it. They had put some saddle bags on it and wanted $1k for the bags. I said take them off and I'll write you a check right now. They wouldn't do it.
 
Reckoned he walked into the bank for a bit of cash. Then bought the building.

Given the vintage of the story, it was cash or cashier’s check. Probably didn’t have Venmo…
So the story goes but how is it possible? Only if the bank owned the building, not holding the mortgage right? Not questioning if the old guy had the money.
 
So the story goes but how is it possible? Only if the bank owned the building, not holding the mortgage right? Not questioning if the old guy had the money.
How is it possible? Well, hmm…

1. Go to bank
2. Withdraw cash
3. Go to owner of building
4. Offer cash
5. Sign paperwork

Now he owns the building.

Then he evicts the tenant.
 
I am universally ignored at car dealerships, clearly something about my Uncle Fester like appearance is a clue to them... My wife and I laugh at this all the time. I have to ask for help or start the transaction online.

Some time ago, I pulled up to a 4/2/2 model home in my shiny and newish, but cheap commuter car (a red Suzuki Swift) , and was not simply ignored by the salesman, but treated very rudely when I asked questions. I thought to myself at the time, I probably have considerably more money than he does.

Lots of sales folks take a person’s looks and the car they drive as a snapshot of their finances.

Many wealthy people look like Walmart employees.
 
In banking, car dealerships, and jewelry stores, good salespeople understand not to “judge a book by its cover”. You never know who has money.

But that judgement happens often.

Just happened to me last week.

Dressed quite casually, I walked into a local jewelry store, where my wife and I had been good customers, including getting some pieces made, buying some, and having repairs done. I was looking for a watch, and I could not get anyone of the six sales people who are on the floor at the time to look away from their computer or their phone. I noted the time and date and contacted the owner of the store.

He was very apologetic, and has offered me a store credit, along with the promise that his employees will be retrained.

I’m not quite in a position to pay cash for his building, but I could have paid cash for every one of the watches they had on display. I’m not sure I’ll take him up on the store credit, but I do appreciate the apology.
I'm going to suggest a different scenario on why you didn't receive acknowledgment at the jewelry store.

Sharks are not dumb. Salespeople are sharks. Sharks much prefer an easy meal, then a meal they have to work for. They can smell an easy meal, and they can sense a meal that takes much effort in hope of a win.

F14 naval aviator, mainline captain for the world's largest airline, senior flight instructor for the world's largest airline. Without a doubt the sharks can smell who you are a mile away. A lazy shark is going let you pass by, and wait for an easier meal. I suspect regardless of how you are dressed; your body language tells every shark "No easy meal".
 
How is it possible? Well, hmm…

1. Go to bank
2. Withdraw cash
3. Go to owner of building
4. Offer cash
5. Sign paperwork
The way the story is written implies he went in the bank and bought the building.

1. Go to bank
2. Buy building
3. Evict tenant

Don't know when OP was a young pup riding bicycles around, guessing 50s-60s? Local banks held mortgage paper then, was just wondering if they actually held real estate too.

Never mind, just taking what was written literally... :unsure:
 
Did you ask for help? Good customer service means you shouldn't have to, but I'm curious. Sadly the retraining I'm sure will change nothing unless there is enforcement with his employees.
Enforcement with employees is short lived, if at all.

One must motivate the people they lead. Have a mission and get the team to want to "buy in". The problem at the jewelry store was the owner- not the employees.

General Eisenhower stated it best. I read this in the summer of 1996 posted in the woods and have never forgotten:
" Leadership is getting people to do what they don't want to do and like it".
 
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The reason I’m here on BITOG and the reason I’m into vehicles is because of my uncle who nearly had so much money that he didn’t know what to do with it.

He subscribed to every auto magazine back in the (pre-internet) day. At least a couple times, I know he was sitting in his pajamas or other comfortable garb that he mainly wore around the house. He saw in a magazine that some highly-desirable exotic was shipping to dealers, called such a dealer, and located a car with the desired options. He then walked to his wall safe with a paper bag, loaded it with cash, and drove to the dealer to buy the car. We’re talking six-digit supercars, not just Jag or M-B. He said that was perfectly normal behavior in his world and his car buddies did the same thing in similar clothing.
 
When I was looking at trucks I went to 2 separate Ford dealers and couldn’t even get a salesman to look at me at either one. I may not dress the best, usually in some blue jeans, steel toe boots, a t shirt, and maybe a hoodie but I don’t look homeless 🤷🏻‍♂️

Well… today I’m wearing some ripped blue jeans and an “Arm the Animals” sweatshirt 🤣
 
Checkered Flag Toyota in Virginia Beach. Made that exact mistake several years ago.

The buyer was my mother-in-law. My wife, at the time a Navy Captain, and Chief of Staff of a Navy-wide Task Force, was the decision-maker. I was merely the driver of the car shuttling the principals from dealership to dealership.

But the salesman kept directing the questions, and attention, to me.

Big mistake.

When the Captain had had enough, the manager was called, and the Captain dressed him down, gently, but publicly, in front of his staff, and we walked out. We bought the car, that day, at Charles Barker (now Hall) Toyota, a few miles away.

She had me send a picture of her mom, and the new car that was bought at their competitor, to Checkered Flag just to be certain that they knew she was serious, and they truly had lost the sale.

You never know who has the money, who is calling the shots, or exactly who you are dealing with. Smart salespeople know this. The ones who don’t - lose the sale.
This stuff drives my wife CRAZY and I 100% agree with her. Smart salespeople know better but some are still living back in the dark ages.
It’s not often but we will “walk” if she is treated that way.
 
The way the story is written implies he went in the bank and bought the building.

1. Go to bank
2. Buy building
3. Evict tenant

Don't know when OP was a young pup riding bicycles around, guessing 50s-60s? Local banks held mortgage paper then, was just wondering if they actually held real estate too.

Never mind, just taking what was written literally... :unsure:
I was just a small kid at the time, so I have no recollection of the buy out. I'm guessing this happened in the 1950's, I was born in 1956.
This was a small town, Exira, Iowa. Population less than 1000 people. Some friend's and I were discussing the more "colorful" old people we remember as a kid.

I remembered Red Carlson. My friend, who is a history buff, copied that article and sent it to me. Word was Red did not trust banks and just kept cash. Guess he had a bunch buried, so the story goes. I have no idea if the bank owned the building, or possibly put him in contact with the owner. Wish I could tell you folks more. Think the old man passed away prior to 1970 according to findagrave.com
I just found it interesting and shared. There is a Facebook page and older folks than myself chimed in with more than I ever heard of. I had not even heard the story before.
 
I'm going to suggest a different scenario on why you didn't receive acknowledgment at the jewelry store.

Sharks are not dumb. Salespeople are sharks. Sharks much prefer an easy meal, then a meal they have to work for. They can smell an easy meal, and they can sense a meal that takes much effort in hope of a win.

F14 naval aviator, mainline captain for the world's largest airline, senior flight instructor for the world's largest airline. Without a doubt the sharks can smell who you are a mile away. A lazy shark is going let you pass by, and wait for an easier meal. I suspect regardless of how you are dressed; your body language tells every shark "No easy meal".
That is a very kind description of me - but you ascribe their behaviour to experience and cleverness, while I ascribe it to, well, laziness…
 
I was in a NAPA back when my boys were 3 and 5 years old. It was a corporate owned store with attached distribution warehouse. For whatever reason, they remodelled the place so the workers there had little pulpit-pedestals with phones and computers on the sales floor. There were 15 people working there all wearing blue uniform shirts and I couldn't tell which one I could get parts from. So I went to the "main desk" and waited patiently while the workers there talked on phones and clicked on computers.

Then I started to notice there were some workers not on the phone, nor the computer, just standing there, but not offering to help. Meanwhile my kids were running up and down the aisles, so half my attention was trying to keep them safe and from wrecking stuff. We had been there like five minutes and noone offered to help me buy the parts I was there for. Maybe they only worked commercial accounts or whatever but the layout of the store led me to think, IDK, they sold parts?

So the 5 y/o asked me what we were doing there, and I replied, "we're going across the street (to CarQuest) to get some customer service!"
 
Hard to imaging Astro14 going to a jewelry store he has a good relationship with and trying to beat them down for the best price....
Sharks are not dumb. Salespeople are sharks. Sharks much prefer an easy meal, then a meal they have to work for. They can smell an easy meal, and they can sense a meal that takes much effort in hope of a win. .
 
When shopping for my wife's Avalon we checked out a few Lexus and Toyota dealerships, as she liked the RX suvs at the time. It very well may have been due to training or attitude differences between dealerships, but I could not get over the difference in how we were greeted depending on if we pulled up in my old accord vs the Vette.

It was a night and day difference. Pull up in the Honda and take your time walking the lot, then try to find someone for assistance when ready to test drive. Pull up in the Vette and the sales people started coming over before we even opened the door of the car.

Ultimately we didn't care so much about the sales service anyways as we were always able to get someone to assist. We did our homework beforehand and just wanted a vehicle she was happy with at a fair price. I just found the experience to be somewhat eye opening.
 
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