GM to drop one Gwatney dealership
NEWS RELEASE
LITTLE ROCK (May 19, 2009) – The Gwatney Pontiac Buick GMC store on Chenal Parkway in west Little Rock received a letter from General Motors last Friday stating that GM expects not to renew the sales and service agreement with the store. Gwatney Automotive’s other two locations, Gwatney Pontiac Buick GMC in Sherwood and Gwatney Chevrolet in Jacksonville, are not affected by the potential change.
The Gwatney Chenal Parkway store will continue to operate under it’s sales and service agreement for the duration of the current contract.
As part of a restructuring initiative mandated by U.S. Treasury Department officials and the Obama administration, the Chenal Parkway store was one of approximately 2,600 General Motors dealerships that received notification of intentions not to renew its franchise agreement.
According to Gwatney Automotive Executive Manager Jamie Cobb, the decision will not affect the company’s immediate goals or its long range plans.
“We operate three stores in central Arkansas, so this decision will have little impact on our operations,” stated Cobb. “My first priority is taking care of our customers and my employees, and I believe Gwatney can accommodate both very well through our Jacksonville and Sherwood stores.”
The executive manager added, “Our Chevrolet store in Jacksonville is in the top 20 Chevy stores in the nation, and our three stores combined are number one in the state in sales of new GM vehicles. Gwatney Automotive is a strong organization and will continue to take care of our Arkansas customers’ needs just as we have for over 50 years.”
Gwatney Automotive includes three stores in Jacksonville, Sherwood and west Little Rock, and recently received the General Motors Mark of Excellence Award given to the top five percent of GM dealers in the nation.
