Driving the news: Bob Bell Automotive Group acquired a Ford dealership from the Walls family in a deal that closed May 6.
For context: Plaza Ford, in Bel Air, Maryland, was founded in 1933, according to Kerrigan Advisors, which represented the sellers in the transaction.
The store was renamed Bob Bell Ford Bel Air.
This is the group’s seventh dealership.
Worth noting: Ralph Walls started working as a bookkeeper for the dealership in 1947, then became manager in 1959.
He became owner of the store in 1962, when he worked with his wife, Betty, and sons, Tom and Charlie.
Kerrigan Advisors said the group developed the dealership “into a flagship operation on Bel Air’s premier auto retail corridor, investing in a 24.5-acre site with prime visibility along Belair Road.”
What they’re saying: Co-owner Tom Walls said in a release that the family is proud of their legacy and were excited about the opportunities for their employees.
“Joining a multi-franchise group like Bob Bell Automotive Group opens meaningful new doors for the people who have been at the heart of this dealership for decades,” Walls said.
Bottom line: Gabe Robleto said in a release that the dealership’s location in the “Mid-Atlantic region combined with Ford’s standing as a top domestic franchise in the US, made Plaza Ford an extraordinarily compelling opportunity.”
“This transaction demonstrates the attractiveness of a premier domestic franchise in a growing market in today’s buy/sell market,” Kerrigan Advisors said in the release.
You can see this deal announcement and many more throughout the entire year by visiting the CDG Buy/Sell tracker at CDGbuysell.com, powered by:
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