Driving the news: Gee Automotive Cos. will acquire Arizona and California dealerships from Jim Click Automotive Team and Tuttle-Click Automotive Group in a deal expected to close later this year.
For context: Click will sell nine rooftops in Tucson, Arizona, and one in nearby(ish) Green Valley/Sahuarita.
Tuttle-Click Automotive, co-owned by Click and his cousin Bob Tuttle, divests six rooftops in the southern California cities of Irvine, Tustin and San Juan Capistrano.
All stores were set to keep their names, locations and brands, including Ford, Lincoln and Kia.
Most staffers will stay, too, the companies said.
Throwing it back: Click, 81, known for his philanthropy and auto retail achievements, put roots in Tucson in 1971.
Holmes Tuttle, Bob’s father, opened his first dealership in 1946, once selling a car to former president and then-actor Ronald Reagan, according to its website.
Liberty Lake, Washington-based Gee Automotive was founded in 1983 and owns more than 40 dealerships in multiple states, including Idaho and Oregon.
What they’re saying: “The Click and Gee families share the same spirit and belief system about business, about our valued employees, about family, and about the importance of giving back to our communities,” Jim Click said in a statement.
Bottom line: A familiar theme of protecting legacies keeps popping up as an important consideration for sellers as we tally another multi-store transaction announcement between two privately held, family-owned groups.
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:
OUTSMART THE CAR MARKET IN 5 MINUTES A WEEK
Get insights trusted by 55,000+ car dealers. Free, fast, and built for automotive leaders.
