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URBANS MAKES THE CUT
Friday, May 15th, 2009 -- 2:37 pm
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
The owner of a local car dealership is relieved after learning Chrysler will not pull their franchise.
18 Wisconsin dealerships weren’t as lucky.
Urban Sales and Service in Neillsville has been around since 1947. Craig Sigurdson has owned the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealership since 1980.
He and his twelve employees have been on edge for the past few weeks, after learning Chrysler’s restructuring would include closing hundreds of dealerships.
"We had a conference call with the top execs about three weeks ago. They said part of the bankruptcy procedure would be to eliminate dealerships." Sigurdson said, "They didn't give us parameters as to who they were going to eliminate, or how many, or whatever. Just in the last week or so, I heard the number 800."
He thought he’d be safe, but had no idea until receiving the official letter Thursday afternoon.
"It could have been one of the worst days that I've had hear, but, as it is, it's been a major relief," he said.
If the franchise would have been pulled, Urbans might have become a used car dealership.
On Thursday, Chrysler announced plans to close 789 dealerships around the country. The nearest being Chilson Motors in Eau Claire.
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