By KEVIN KOELLING, Perry County News Managing Editor
TELL CITY - A&G Motors co-owner Gary Gebhard said Thursday some misinformation is going around.
"Our store won't close," he emphasized. "We just won't have a new-car franchise."
General Motors notified 1,100 of its dealerships nationwide late last week that their services will no longer be required.
In A&G's case, "they're saying October of 2010," Gebhard said of the letter received by the business he and his brother, Keith, own. That won't have as big an impact as it might, he said, because "we're not dependent on new-car sales."
Just like at dealerships across the country, those sales have dwindled over recent years, leading to the situation in which dealers across this and other countries have received instructions from manufacturers to discontinue new-car sales.
"Nobody's doing the numbers they did in the past," Gebhard said.
The past for A&G began in 1953, when Clayton "Dick" Anderson and Oscar Gebhard opened the business at its current location, one shared then with Tell City Lumber and Supply. General Motors Oldsmobiles, GMC trucks and John Deere farm implements were among initial offerings, with Pontiacs added in 1958. That's according to a 1992 News story reporting A&G's selection as business of the year.
Used-car sales will continue from the lot at 222 12th St. in Tell City, Gary Gebhard said, adding, "we have an excellent service department. They stay very busy."
The business also sells Corn Pro trailers, which he also described as "excellent." They're built by Amish workers just north of Jasper, he explained.
Regarding the loss of new-car sales, Gebhard said, "I hate to see it, but I won't lose any sleep. I have absolutely zero control over it."