Matick Automotive buys Art Moran Buick-GMC in suburban Detroit

Matick Automotive Group has acquired the Art Moran Buick-GMC dealership in Southfield, Mich., beefing up Matick Automotive's metro Detroit portfolio.

The transaction closed on Monday and the store was rebranded as Matick Buick-GMC.

"For a variety of reasons, the Art Moran dealership was our No. 1 strategic acquisition target," Matick Automotive CEO Karl Zimmermann said in a statement. "The Buick and GMC franchises are a perfect fit with our existing vehicle brands and geographic footprint."

This is the third franchised dealership for the group. It owns George Matick Chevrolet in Redford, Mich., and Matick Toyota in Macomb Township, both in suburban Detroit. Matick Automotive also has a body shop, car wash and a fleet servicing business.

Molly Williams, vice president of Matick Automotive, is dealer operator of the acquired store, replacing a retiring Tom Moran, who owned the dealership for 18 years. Tom Moran is the youngest of Art Moran's seven children. Art Moran entered the dealership business in 1956 and died in 2015.

Last year, Tom Moran sold his Mitsubishi dealership in Southfield to Glassman Automotive Group of Southfield.

Williams and group vice president Paul Zimmermann own a "significant percentage" of the Matick Buick-GMC dealership, along with Karl Zimmermann, majority owner.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. General Motors Financial Co. and Horizon Bank provided financing for the transaction.

The newly acquired Buick GMC dealership sits on 6 acres with 60,000 square feet of indoor space across two buildings, including a showroom and body repair and paint shop. All employees of the dealership have been offered employment under the Matick flag, Matick Automotive said.

"I look forward to serving the greater Southfield community, where I grew up and where I now raise my family," Williams said in a statement. "The Art Moran team will be a wonderful addition to our Matick team."