THE HISTORY BEHIND BERGER’S MURAL

In 2025, Berger Chevrolet is celebrating 100 years of business as a local, family-owned dealership! In honor of this milestone, we partnered with Lions and Rabbits Center for the Arts to commission a mural to celebrate our dealership’s history and to look ahead at what the future holds. Our wonderful mural artist, Kevin Wolfrom, worked closely with the Berger team to create a mural that would capture Berger’s legacy, nodding to our rich history and alluding to our bright future. Let’s take a deeper dive into the history, meaning, and intention behind the mural and discover the significance of the elements that were chosen to be included in this piece.

Daytona Yellow Camaro ZL1

The centerpiece of the mural features a yellow 1969 Camaro ZL1. This specific model is a representation of the legendary 1969 Daytona Yellow Camaro ZL1 that was purchased by Dale Berger Jr. in 1969. This model is 1 of only 69 originally made in 1969. Dale Jr. purchased the vehicle for just over $7,000, which was an expensive price for the time period. The vehicle was displayed on Berger’s showroom floor for over a year before it was sold. While Berger Chevrolet is no longer in possession of this vehicle, the legacy of the 1969 Camaro ZL1 lives on as most of the originals were purchased for drag racing and are long gone.

Polo White 1954 Corvette

Another iconic vehicle featured in our mural is the Polo White 1954 Corvette with the red interior located in the bottom center. This is another vehicle that is rich in Berger history. We have photos of four generations of the Berger family sitting in this exact Corvette! The first photograph taken in the 1960s features Dale Sr. driving with Dale Jr. in the front passenger seat. Almost 50 years later the photo was recreated with Dale Jr. and his son Matt at our 2016 All GM Show. Five years after that, Matt and his son, Tyler, recreated the photo again! This vehicle often makes an appearance at our All GM Show and is a great reminder of the foundation our dealership is built upon. As a dealership, reaching 100 years in business on its own is an incredible feat, but to do so remaining in the same family for five generations is something we take great pride in.

Torch Red 2024 Corvette

Sliding over to the bottom left corner, parked to the left of the 1954 Corvette is a 2024 Torch Red Corvette. The juxtaposition of these two vehicles symbolizes Berger’s future. Though these vehicles are the same Chevrolet model, these Corvettes have 70 years of innovation between them. Just as the Corvette has evolved over time, so has Berger Chevrolet. From increasing our acreage and expanding our buildings to growing our team and introducing new products like electric vehicles, Berger has learned to grow and adapt for a century and we will continue to do so in the future ahead. 

In addition to their representation of the past and future, these two vehicles are also a nod to Berger’s All GM Show! Each summer for the past 25 years, hundreds of GM vehicles come to Berger to show off their power, performance, and history. From 1954 Corvettes to 2024 Corvettes, we often see the old parked next to the new, and it’s a wonderful testament to the history of the automotive industry and the admiration of performance vehicles that is passed down from generation to generation. 

Camaro Logo and Mile Marker

In the bottom right corner of the mural, you’ll see the Camaro logo and a mile marker sign. The red, white, and blue striped Camaro logo is one that Chevrolet used between 1993 and 2002. This specific rendition of the Camaro logo was included in the mural to highlight Berger’s high-performance legacy. In 2001, Chevrolet announced that the Camaro would be discontinued after 2002. Upon hearing the news, Berger Chevrolet wanted to celebrate its rich history with iconic sports cars and had 100 special edition “Berger SS Camaros” planned for production in those final model years. Each of these special edition Camaros sported the logo you see in the mural and the 100 By Berger Camaro SS models quickly became legendary in car collections nationwide. Many of these Camaros come back to their roots at our All GM Show each year and are often the highlight for many spectators.

To the right of the logo stands a mile marker sign that says “Interstate 28” and “Mile 2525”. This is a numeric play on the dealership’s address and roots in West Michigan. Berger Chevy has been located at 2525 28th Street since the 1960s, hence the use of the numbers 28 and 2525 in the sign! 

Berger Sign

Looking into the background of the mural, behind the large, yellow 1969 Camaro stands the original Berger Chevrolet sign from the 1960s. This sign design first came into existence in 1966 when Berger relocated from downtown, moving the dealership to the wide-open 28th Street. This original sign stood with the dealership for decades, making its mark on the city. On the sign, you’ll notice that the large, navy blue “by Berger” logo takes center stage. This logo was created by Dale Sr. in the 1940s and over 80 years later has become an iconic symbol for Berger Chevrolet. To this day, each vehicle sold at Berger Chevrolet comes with a “by Berger” sticker located on the back of the vehicle. Not only does this make our vehicles stand out when on the road, it’s once again a great reminder of how Berger Chevrolet came to be. Underneath the cream sign another panel reads “It’s Always Better at Berger,” a fun inclusion of our tagline and jingle! 

Downtown Grand Rapids

Last but not least, behind the sign and the 1969 Camaro, located toward the top of the mural is the sun rising on the downtown Grand Rapids skyline. This is an ode to not only Berger’s physical location but also the dealership’s involvement in the Grand Rapids community since 1925. When Berger first opened its doors to the community, the dealership was located near downtown at 1034 Wealthy Street. In 1933, the dealership moved up the road to 1451 Lake Drive, and in 1966, Berger moved to 28th Street where the dealership still operates today. With each move intended to grow the business and better serve the West Michigan community, Berger has been proud to remain in the city of Grand Rapids over the last century. 

Berger Chevrolet is deeply rooted in the West Michigan community and because of that, we’ve made it our mission to give back to the community that has trusted us to serve their automotive needs since 1925. Without our loyal customers and dedicated team members, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate this momentous milestone. In the mural, the sun rises on Grand Rapids to symbolize what lies ahead for our dealership and for our city. Each day is a new opportunity to serve our community in whatever capacity they may need. That’s what makes it always better at Berger!