Ford, Chevy, Hyundai, Kia and Mazda dealerships sell in 3 states

An ownership change revived a town's only new-car dealership, a second-generation dealer entered New York state, two partners expanded to a third store and another group added a new brand, all in fourth-quarter transactions.

Here's a look at the deals involving domestic and import brands and dealerships in Ohio, New York and Texas.

An Ohio village's only new-car dealership entered a revival era after an ownership change in October.

Bill Harris Dealerships on Oct. 31 purchased Cal Hans Ford in Loudonville, Ohio, a dealership that in recent years only operated a sales department, Bill Harris Dealerships President Aaron Harris said.

Seller Linda Hans, the longtime owner, purchased the store with her late husband Cal Hans and took it over after he died in 1997.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges for Hans, including inventory shortages, Harris told Automotive News. And in the past few years, only her son Kevin Hans worked full time at the dealership, while she and another employee worked part time, Harris said.

Harris said he hopes the dealership's revitalization brings a lift to the surrounding area. Rural Loudonville is between Cleveland and Columbus.

"We're the resource for a big piece of the community's needs when it comes to transportation," Harris said.

Staffing at the renamed Bill Harris Ford has tripled, Harris said, with the hopes of adding at least five more employees this year. Kevin Hans stayed on in sales, Harris said.

Harris said the acquisition almost felt like opening a new point since they've expanded inventory with more new cars, brought back used car sales and added parts and service.

"We're a fully functioning dealership now," Harris said.

Harris, along with his father, Scott, and brother David, own the auto group that his grandfather Bill Harris started in 1981.

Aaron Harris is general manager and dealer principal at the family's three stores, including the Ford dealership and stores selling Chevrolet and Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram in Ashland, Ohio.

Harris said all three dealerships are about 20 miles apart, so he's able to visit each of them multiple times a week.

"That was a huge attraction for us," Harris said.

Second-generation dealer Brian Hoar on Nov. 3 purchased Parker Chevrolet in Champlain, N.Y., from brothers Rolla and Tim Parker.

This is the second expansion for Hoar, who took over his family's Goss Dodge-Chrysler-Ram-Fiat dealership in South Burlington, Vt., in 2008. In 2019, Hoar acquired Goss Jeep, also in South Burlington.

The November deal expands his group into New York state. Champlain is in western New York, just south of the Canadian border.

Sellers Rolla and Tim Parker operated Parker Chevrolet since 1994, according to Nancy Phillips Associates, a buy-sell firm in Exeter, N.H., which represented the sellers in the transaction.

Tim Parker has stayed on as general manager of the dealership, renamed Goss Chevrolet, while Rolla Parker's daughter Beth Parker remains the store's parts manager, and his son Rolla Jr. continues on the sales floor.

The store has about 30 employees, according to Hoar, also the store's dealer principal.

The dealership sold about 1,000 vehicles annually, new and used, Hoar and Rolla Parker confirmed.

Hoar has no plans now to expand further into New York state, he told Automotive News, but is "always looking for opportunities."

Rolla Parker, who according to Nancy Phillips Associates retired after the sale, said he hadn't thought of selling his store because the business has been so profitable the past few years.

"The Parker family is still there and all the employees stayed as well," he said in a statement. "The new owner's philosophy, and my philosophy were very similar, so it was a good marriage between the two businesses."

Bolton Automotive acquired Brookshire Hyundai in Texas in a deal that closed Oct. 24. The purchase brings the group up to three locations, two of which are in the Lone Star State.

Bruce Glasscock and Alfred Flores of Affinity Dealer Group sold the dealership, west of Houston, to King Bolton and Jeremy Soileau.

Soileau, partner at Bolton Ford in Lake Charles, La., and Bolton Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram-Fiat in Port Arthur, Texas, told Automotive News that the group had been looking for a Hyundai location.

"I believe Hyundai is probably one of the strongest manufacturers out there when it comes to brand recognition and when it comes to taking care of the dealers," said Soileau, an Automotive News' 40 under 40 honoree in 2021.

The deal was assisted by a preexisting relationship. The Bolton group purchased the Stellantis dealership from the Affinity group in 2020, its first expansion.

Bolton Automotive isn't changing the Hyundai's store name. And except for the general manager, the group has retained all of its staff, according to Soileau.

"They actually had a great reputation in that market and we decided because of that, that we didn't want to do too much of a shakeup," he said. "We've grown the employee count [by] 10 people, putting us close to 50."

Growing Dennis & Co. Auto Group entered Long Island, N.Y., with a December purchase that also added the Mazda brand to its portfolio.

Dennis & Co. Auto on Dec. 1 purchased Eagle Chevrolet and Eagle Mazda-Kia in Riverhead, N.Y., from Mark Calisi, Dawn Dennis, digital marketing director for Dennis & Co., confirmed to Automotive News. The stores were renamed Eagle Chevrolet of Riverhead and Eagle Mazda-Kia of Riverhead.

"We are excited to expand our brand profile to include Mazda, while deepening our portfolio of Chevrolet and Kia stores," group CEO Brian Dennis said in a statement.

Calisi operated the stores under the Eagle Auto Mall umbrella in Riverhead, a Long Island town east of New York City.

In August 2022, Dennis & Co. added an Infiniti dealership in Florida and Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram store in Clifton Park, N.Y.

Those transactions followed a busy acquisition period that stretched back into mid-2021.

Dennis & Co., of Pearl River, N.Y., now owns more than 10 dealerships in New York and Florida. December's transaction also included a wholesale parts store.

Stevan LaBonte of LaBonte Law Group in Jericho, N.Y., represented Dennis & Co., while Kevin Timson of the ArentFox Schiff law firm represented the seller in the transaction.