Lansing Auto Auction    
1976 - 1998
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The Lansing Auto Auction was formed in 1976 by my parents Robert & Carla ( better known as Sam/Sammi) Baker. "On the corner of I69/I96" a very familiar saying.  The story I remember (which, could possibly not be correct - but interesting) was that my father had a used car lot called, Baker Auto Sales on South Cedar Street in Lansing (a very busy street my mother always told us girls to go play on -haha) Times were slower back then and dad decided to open a car wash - you know, those one lane car washes you drove your car thru...and he thought to himself, I wonder what it would be like to run some on my cars from the used car lot thru this car wash one day a week, so he did and it took off like lightening!

Sometime after (I would have to lie to give you an actual time frame), they checked into opening a small, two lane auto auction in Dimondale, Michigan.  He purchased some land next to a trailer sales company, across the street from a restaurant called "the Poor House" (I always thought that was a bad name for a restaurant) and down the road from the famous "Don's Truck Stop".

In a nutshell, the auction went fast and furiously from a 2 lane auction to a six "customized" lane auto auction with a concession stand (Westside Deli), recon center, arbitration center, detailing shop, pick up and delivery service, etc...all backed by Dad and Sam's 100% satisfaction guarantee of the purchase or he would buy it back.

This auction has brought my family many wonderful memories and I want to tell my parents, THANK YOU for all your hard work, sweat, tears, guidance (even though we didn't always listen), long, long (sometimes too long) hours spent to make all of our lives better.

Please enjoy these images of the final market report/flyer that was put together by my Dad and Sam as it is a memory worth sharing.

Click on the picture to reveal a much larger picture!

 

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