HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-10-21, Page 13Goderich Signal-8tar, Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - Page 13
Photo by Dave Sykes
The Goderich Honda dealership changed hands recently
and was sold to Barry Dohms, who also owns the Hyundai
dealership on Highway 21, which opened in 2005. Dohms
and business partner, Scott Fletcher, who manages the two
dealersips, are confident that the autmobile business will
not only stabilize but thrive in the Goderich area.
Goderich Honda changes hands
Dave Sykes
signal -star staff
While the automobile dealer-
ship landscape continues to con-
tract across North America, Barry
Dohms and Scott Fletcher have
faith in the local car market and
have risked further investment
in the belief Goderich is a stable
market.
Dohms, the dealer principal of
Goderich Hyundai, which opened
in 2005, and Fletcher, the deal-
ership general manager, have
teamed up again in the purchase
of the Goderich Honda dealership,
a brand that will fit neatly into the
company's auto'arsenal.
Already the owner of two Toy-
ota dealerships, one in Walkerton
and the other in Guelph, Dohms
opened the area's first Hyundai
dealership in Goderich four years
ago and despite an ailing econ-
omy, felt the Honda opportunity
was a risk he was willing to take.
"We weren't looking to buy but
the opportunity came along. It
wasn't ideal timing with the econ-
omy in Goderich and winter com-
ing on but it was a risk we were
prepared to take," Dohms said.
"We have faith in this market, it
will stabilize and we definitely be-
lieve in the Honda product"
Fletcher, the Hyundai manager,
will oversee both dealerships and
the 20 people employed at both
" locations. Jobs will be retained
and two locations means that ser-
vices can be enhanced through
shared resources.
"The staff is exceptional and at
both locations they care about the
job and the dealership," he said. "I
am confident in the future and the
economy seems to weather a little
better in Goderich with the mine,
farming and seniors market"
"Hyundai has been the best ex-
perience of my career. The imports
are a different world. The hardest
job is to get people to drive one.
Once they do they find it exceeds
their expectations. The foreign
companies have made a commit-
ment to quality and good value."
The Hyundai experience in
Goderich has been a positive one
Dohms said, for a startup opera-
tion and he has similar expecta-
tions of the Honda dealership,
with admittedly, the best location
in Goderich.
"Hyundai was a startup opera-
tion and that's tough because there
is no owner base to work from and
there is no new product or service
business that exists," he said. "We
expected it would take three to
five years to get the business vi-
able and while we had hoped
for three, it will take four or five.
But we have exceeded expecta-
tions in vehicle sales the past two
years and there's been growth in
parts and service. We're optimistic
about Hyundai and the product is
good."
With an extensive background
in the corporate and retail world
of General Motors and other car
manufacturers, Dohms believes in
the import market and its commit-
ment to quality and the customer.
'The whole dealerhsip owner-
ship landscape has changed and
people are diversifying," he said.
"The imports are here to stay and
they are a big factor in the market.
They are viewed as competitive
products, reliable and the resale
value will continue to increase."
When former owner, Jim Mc-
Dougall, indicated to Honda he
was willing to sell the dealership,
Honda contacted Dohms, who had
expressed an interest in expanding
his dealership holdings in this part
of Ontario. McDougall, and his
son Jamie, now operate a used car
dealership at the former Honda lo-
cation on Bayfield Road.
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2009 Festival of Lights CeIebrations
7:15 pm Saturday, November 21,
" 13ictoriag tnias"
This year's theme...
Name of Entrant:
Contact Person:
Address: Postal Code
Phone: . Email:
Description of Entry: (including length, use of music)
PLEA : " s ACH AND KEEP FOR YOUR ,... N REFERENC
PLEASE BEIURE YOUR FLOAT CLEARLY SNOWS THE. NAME OF YOa INESS
OR ORGANIZATION, PEOPLE LIKE TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
COND.l�NS
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2. Entries must meet the approval of Tourism Goderich. Please refrain from having
Santa Claus on your float. Also candies may not be thrown from floats - they must be
handed to the children.
3. Engles with animals must provide their own means of dean -up.
4. All paraiik entries are to be in Avenue West of South Street by 6:30 pm latest.
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Wednesday, November 1
6. Complete this form and m
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