The site of the 318 Commons student apartments has a deep history in Rochester.
In 1910, Carl West, who had been a chauffeur to Dr. E.S. Judd, and William Edwards bought Wakefield's Garage. In 1912, Edwards sold his shares to Henry Postier, who had been a driver for Dr. Will Mayo and then Rochester's first salesman to travel by car. West and Postier Garage, agents for Kissel Kar, Cole and Maxwell autos, moved to 316-318 S. Main (now First Avenue) that same year.
West sold his share of the business to Elmer Kruger in 1926 but remained in the auto business until 1941, when he became a machine shop operator for Kahler Corp. He retired in 1955 and died in 1976. In 1933, Postier partnered with salesman Harrell Eggers to create Postier and Eggers, a long-running Rochester auto dealer. He was vice president of the company at his death in 1971.
Next week: Rochester’s "Boystown."
