Kelly Auto Group adds Ford store; Charge at Simons
Patience is an important piece of the equation when you embark on the search to buy a vehicle.
It turns out that patience can be equally important when you set out to buy a dealership.
On Thursday, the Kelly Automotive Group closed on the purchase of the former Thomas Ford dealership on Rantoul Street in Beverly.
This weekend, the dealership is doing business as Kelly Ford, the 10th brand and 12th dealership under the Kelly umbrella.
“We’re keeping all the Thomas employees and adding some more,’’ says Brian Heney, Kelly’s director of operations. “We have some good plans for growth.’’
The sale was a long time coming. “Our president, Brian Kelly Sr., has been trying to buy this dealership for 20 years,’’ says Heney.
The Ford dealership is a natural fit into the Kelly group’s goal of keeping its entire operation within a 25-mile radius.
“Either Brian or I visit each dealership every day,’’ says Heney, “That way, we are in touch with our employees on a daily basis.’’
As the company’s longtime advertising slogan says, “That’s the Kelly Way.’’
Kelly Ford sits less than a mile away from Ground Zero of the group’s origins, the Rantoul street location where Kelly’s father, Roland D. Kelly, opened a used-car lot in 1965, making this the group’s 50th anniversary.
Kelly’s business plan remains the same.
“If you take care of your employees, they’ll take care of the customers. We have good, dedicated, long-term employees. It’s as simple as that. If we say we are going to do something, we do it,’’ says Brian Kelly.
Automotive News this summer recognized two Kelly dealerships—Kelly Infiniti and Kelly Volkswagen, both of Danvers—on its annual “100 Best Places to Work.’’ They joined Planet Subaru of Hanover as the only Massachusetts dealers on the list.
“We’ve been part of that competition for three years,’’ says Heney. “Last year Kelly Infiniti and Kelly Nissan of Woburn made the list.
“It involves a lot of work both from management and on our employees’ part. They [Automotive News] survey the employees, and we like getting the feedback of what our employees like and dislike. The recognition also helps us attract better quality employees.’’
The Kelly group’s growth has been steady, starting in 1968 when they opened a Datsun (now Nissan) franchise in Beverly. Now that franchise is one of the 10 oldest Nissan dealerships in the country.
Nissan recognized that early success and made Kelly the first Infiniti dealership in the United States in 1989. “Actually, that made us the first Infiniti dealership in the world,’’ says Kelly.
Kelly’s success with Nissan was such that he bought a second Nissan franchise on Rte. 1 in Lynnfield in 1996 and a third in Woburn three years ago. “Our three Nissan dealerships are responsible for 35 percent of Nissan sales in this district,’’ says Kelly.
But this weekend is about Ford.
So, if you want to be part of the grand opening Fiesta at this Fusion of Kelly dealerships, turn into an Explorer, set off on an Expedition to Rte. 1A in Beverly. If you maintain your Focus, you may gain an Edge and even C-Max, the official greeter, should you Connect in Transit. But you can’t Escape these puns.
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Diesel versus gas cars comparison
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In Charge
Electric car owners now have another reason to visit the mall. Twelve Simon Malls in Massachusetts and New Hampshire are installing fast-charging stations that can recharge electric vehicles in 30 minutes or less as well as a Level 2 charger that charges at a rate of 12 to 25 miles of range per hour. In addition, a third combination (fast or Level 2) charger is scheduled to be added at each location.
Participating Massachusetts malls are: Auburn, Burlington, Cape Cod, Copley Place, Emerald Square (North Attleboro), The Mall at Chestnut Hill, North Short Mall (Peabody), Solomon Pond Mall, South Shore Plaza (Braintree), and Square One Mall (Saugus). In New Hampshire, Rockingham Mall (Salem) and Pheasant Lane Mall (Nashua) are included.
“The locations of our shopping centers across the US means that Simon is ideally positioned to contribute to the development of a national infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations,’’ says Mona Benisi of Simon.
Etc.
Italy has manufactured some of the world’s most stylish cars and motorcycles. Many will be on display today at “Tutto Italiano’’ from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline … Also today, the 42nd annual “Show ‘n Shine’’ will be hosted by the East Coast Camaro Club at the Anheuser-Busch plant, 221 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, N.H., starting at 9 a.m. The event benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation … In addition, the 29th annual Massachusetts Street Rod Association conducts its ’50s drags and rod show at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H. Racing begins at 9 a.m. … Next Saturday, Wayne Carini of Discovery Channel’s “Chasing Classic Cars’’ will be Herb Chambers’ guest host at Cars ‘n Coffee at Westborough Ford from 7-10 a.m. … Also Saturday, the 7th annual Lt. Kenny Fowler Memorial show is conducted by the West Newbury Police Department at the New Old Oak Restaurant at 74 East Main St., Merrimac. The hooks here are several. The show is organized by West Newbury police sergeant Dan Cena, brother of WWE star John Cena, and each year the event raffles off a classic vehicle. This year’s offering is a 1966 Chevy C10 pickup that took top honors at the Boston World of Wheels show in 2012. Tickets ($100) are available at the West Newbury public safety building where the truck is on display.
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