Check out this week's Then and Now about the first Harley Davidson dealership in Spokane. It was started by a young C.F. "Brush" Bruschi in the 1920s and was a hub of motorcycle life through the1960s.  Bruschi sold his dealership to George Faulders and Floyd "Bud" Stranahan in 1952.  Faulders was a longtime employee and Stranahan was from the family that owned the Harley Davidson dealership in Lewiston, Idaho.  Stranahan's daughter, Denise Stranahan Beail sent an email setting the record straight about the Faulders/Stranahan partnership, adding credit to her father for the success in the 1950s.  

  "My father was the son of Everett B. Stranahan, the first Harley Davidson dealer in Lewiston Idaho.  My parents moved from Lewiston to Spokane in 1950 and bought half of the dealership from “Brush” as he was known.  The workhorse in the operation was actually my father who literally ran the dealership from his hospital bed in 1957 after being involved in a very serious motorcycle accident caused by a local taxi driver who did not yield the right of way.  By the time my father bought the dealership George had pretty much checked out of the day to day operations. Floyd E. “Bud” Stranahan was very active in the motorcycle business until his death in 1993...From a very early age I heard about and participated in all sorts of activities related to my family's motorcycle business.  Frankly, I loved it and as an only child and a daughter no less who basically hung out at races and hill climbs throughout my childhood into my college years.  My father was an expert hill climber until he was injured in the accident I mentioned previously at which point be became the most sought after announcer for hill climbs and races throughout the northwest.  

  The demise of Brush Cycle occurred when George Faulders sold his portion to the bookkeeper who knew nothing really about how you actually sell and promote motorcycles, only how much money could be made.  This of course did not sit well with my father who would have bought him out had he known what George was up to.  Unfortunately, there are hardly any people left who remember my dad and how much of an influence he had in the local and northwest motorcycle scene.  Here is a little tidbit about my dad: he was the announcer that Evil Knievel asked to cover his failed Snake River Canyon attempt."

 

 

 

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