Oldest Auto Mall

An article (Oct. 5) said the Irvine Co. was credited with creating the first auto mall, the Irvine Auto Center.

To set the record straight, the Riverside Auto Center opened in 1964 with seven new car dealerships on 60 acres adjacent to the Riverside (91) Freeway. Without doubt, this was the first auto center ever created.

As a point of interest, my late father was one of the original founders who started having meetings in Riverside concerning the development of an auto center in 1958. Our auto center has grown from the seven original dealerships and 60 acres to 16 separate dealerships over many more acres.

CHARLES W. DUTTON JR.

Riverside