The end saw Palmer Ford losing inventory and even being cut off from Ford Motor Credit.
Terry Jacoby -
HERITAGE - September 16th 2009
Palmer Ford, the longest running Ford dealership in Michigan and a Chelsea pillar for almost a century, has run out of gas in an economy that has claimed many automotive victims.
Biff Weber, owner of Palmer Ford, met with officials from the automaker on Friday in Dearborn to finalize details on closing the dealership. On Wednesday, he confirmed that there was "some validity" to reports of the dealership’s demise. On Friday, those fears were confirmed.
"Right now, I’m concerned about our employees and our customers," Weber said. "We went through the process (Friday) on what needed to be done. I told them I needed time to try and find our employees jobs. We have some longtime employees here and some very good and talented people. So I’ve been busy writing letters of recommendations and calling people."
Palmer Ford opened on April 15, 1912 and is expected to close the doors on Oct. 15, 2009.
"What was one of the real special things about our history is that we never moved," said Weber, who is married to Suzie Palmer. "We have been at this location since the beginning."
The end saw Palmer Ford losing inventory and even being cut off from Ford Motor Credit.
"That was the hand-writing on the wall for us," Weber said. "But this was my decision. I decided to close the dealership this way, not Ford. They have been great and supportive through this whole process. There are no hard feelings at all for Ford."
Weber said that his 25 employees were not surprised with the news. And he hasn’t been surprised by the response he is getting in his new role of employee-employer matchmaking....
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