Moscow Street in Saratov is famous for its landmarks, and one of the most remarkable is house No. 116, known as the Sokolov and Ivanov Auto Garage. The feature of this building is the car that seems ready to roll off the roof. The building was originally constructed for a furniture and mirror store, but the business did not succeed, and it was sold. The new owners were Stepan Sokolov and Zakhar Ivanov, who opened an auto garage here. In their showroom, one could purchase cars of various brands, as well as gasoline, oils, tires, and spare parts. A service station also operated here. According to pre-revolutionary advertisements, repairs were carried out by highly qualified specialists. The entrepreneurs were successful, and later they opened a department for selling bicycles and motorcycles.

In 1913, Sokolov and Ivanov decided to decorate their auto garage in an unusual way by placing a car on the roof, creating the impression of movement. However, only Zakhar Ivanov remained to manage the business, as Sokolov was called to the front with the onset of World War I. The war brought changes to life, and Zakhar had to organize courses for military drivers. Over four years, his specialists trained more than 200 drivers and mechanics. Ivanov continued to teach drivers during the Soviet era, but for a different reason. The auto garage was nationalized, and to earn some income, he agreed to work as an instructor in his own showroom.

However, the most interesting part of this story is how the Sokolov and Ivanov Auto Garage was immortalized by the writer Ilya Ilf. In the 1920s, during a visit to Saratov, he saw the unusual showroom with a car on the roof and heard the story of the former garage owner. Later, while working on the novel "The Golden Calf," Ilf recalled this episode and made Zakhar Ivanov the prototype of the driver Adam Kozlevich. Today, the building has been restored and has preserved its historical appearance along with the famous bas-relief and sculptures.