AUTO DEALERS
Ditschman Ford – William S. “Bill” Ditschman (1915-1999) opened his Mobil station in Frenchtown on the eastern corner of Kingwood Avenue and Creek Road in 1946. He was an agent for Kaiser-Frazer automobiles. Those cars were manufactured in Willow Run, Mich., 1946-55. But Ditschman switched to selling Fords in 1949. The accompanying photo was taken circa 1955. (That building now houses Napoli pizzeria and Lacy Phelps' Edward Jones financial office.)
Steve Kalafer bought Ditschman's Motors in 1976, and changed its name to Ditschman Ford Mercury. Bill Ditschman held onto the real estate.
In the summer of '77, after I'd been editor of the Delaware Valley News for a couple of weeks, a reporter suggested that I go see Kalafer, saying, “He sent us a picture and a press release awhile ago, and they got lost. Maybe you could take a new photo and find out what it was all about.”
That reporter been passed over for the editor job, and he was setting me up. So at lunchtime, I got my camera and went to see the car dealer. Kalafer's entirely justified response was something like, “I spend thousands of dollars with your newspaper, and once in a blue moon I ask for a little publicity, and you guys jerk me around!” He said more things that were true, but a little hurtful.
I said, “Mr. Kalafer, I just got here, and I want to make things right. Can you please tell me what the press release was about and let me take a picture?”
He was mollified. Either to inconvenience me or because he really had somewhere to go, he said, “Come back at 3. I'll be here at 3.”
Offended, I asked insolently, “Where are you now?” Ah, youth! It would be years before I was any good at taking a slight. By age 40 I could absorb so much punishment that buttons would pop off my clothes because of the swelling. But not at age 25.
Anyhow, my bitter little rejoinder understandably set Kalafer off again. Harsh words were exchanged and I left in a huff. Out on the sidewalk, I told myself: You need to do better than this.
I went back in, and we had another heated exchange, and I stormed out again. Then I went back in one more time.
“Mr. Kalafer, can we please start over? I'm brand new, and I want to make you happy. Can we start from there?” Maybe I wore him out. Kalafer relented and invited me back into his office, where we had a friendly chat about me, about him, about Frenchtown. Later he even went out and sat in my '53 Ford Mainline – a relic he would eventually buy from me.
In 1979 Kalafer bought Jennings Ford on Route 202-31 south of Flemington, and staffed it with all of his Frenchtown employees, plus a few Jennings holdovers. Thus Ditschman Ford would become the nucleus of Kalafer's auto-sales empire, Flemington Car & Truck Country.
Since his move east, Kalafer's “family of dealerships” expanded to where he now has as many dealerships as I have spoons. They include Chevrolet, Nissan Infiniti, Audi, BMW, Buick, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Porsche, Subaru and VW.
Ryman Ford-Mercury took over Kalafer's Frenchtown lease. Ridge Ryman of New Hope, Pa., staffed it with Jennings employees. When Ryman's business folded in 1982, he sold his leftover stock – about 10 new cars and trucks – to Kalafer.
From "Rick's Frenchtown Encyclopedia"
Kim, I agree. Steve is a capable man, and generous, too.
Rick, I went to Rider College with Steve and we became good friends. He had a gift to make businesses very profitable. No matter what he started or business he bought, it became solid gold (like Ditschman's and Flemington Car and Truck Country)! He was a very compassionate guy and helped many people out financially....a philanthropist. I'm proud to have known him. He taught me some things I've used throughout my career. God bless him!
Rick, never did buy a Ford there though my brother in law’s ( Tony Carvino) brother, John worked there as a master mechanic for many years
( now an airplane mechanic). But the building reminded me of Coolies gas station On the corner before you turned out of Frenchtown in Rt 12, where I pumped gas late into the night many times. I would then run the money back to Mildred Wehr, who’s daughter Sharon I was dating at the time ( and probably the reason I got the job) and god forbid if one penny was missing. Those Coolies were tight as Spanks on a fat chick! I later went to work at Whitman Ford in Phillipsburg, a stor…
Now I know you have 12 spoons.