“OK” has been called the most common expression in the world. While English in origin, it is understood across most languages.
In modern usage, OK has come to mean merely sufficient. But in the 1940s it still carried the connotation of excellence.
The former OK Used Cars store at 1204 Broad St. – which was attached to the Hailey Chevrolet dealership – was a name that signaled to customers that its cars and trucks were top quality, perhaps even A-OK.
This photo was taken in 1948 by Chattanooga Free Press photographer Delmont Wilson and is part of the newspaper’s collection of images at the ChattanoogaHistory.com website, curated by local history buff Sam Hall.
An OK Used Cars newspaper advertisement from the period included a range of vehicles: from a 1939 Plymouth two-door sedan ($145) to a 1947 Plymouth station wagon ($955).