Local auto dealer expands
Former Giardina site to be used cars
Friday, December 29, 2006
GALESBURG - A local car dealer is making an investment in the community and he hopes others will follow suit by buying locally.Ron Hicks, owner of City Select Motors Inc., 1687 N. Henderson St., last week paid $750,000 for the property at 1621 N. Henderson St., most recently home to Giardina GMC-Pontiac-Cadillac, and, before that, Black Pontiac-Cadillac-GMC-Oldsmobile.
Hicks, who also owns City Ford in Monmouth, said "primarily I'm moving it for more pre-owned vehicles. We may end up with a service department. ... Possibly secure a new car franchise. I don't know if that will happen."
Hicks bought the new location from Heritage Holdings of Galesburg.
"If it adds one job or two job or three or five, it's better than when it was sitting vacant," he said of the new location.
Hicks said he also may add rental cars. City Select has five employees now.
"I would say that would double within three to six months," he said. "I would see us with eight to 12 employees in six months."
The dealership has 65 to 70 used cars on its lot now.
"Right now between $650,000 and $750,000 worth of equipment," Hicks said, putting a dollar value on his inventory. "We're going to pump that up to about $1 million, between 90 and 100 cars. We'll increase our inventory by a third."
Hicks has owned City Ford in Monmouth for 15 years. He offers pre-owned cars, trucks and vans at the dealership in Galesburg, which has been open for 2 1/2 years.
"We feel we can be a full service dealer," Hicks said.
