Wolf’s Pinedale Dodge spared cut by Chrysler
789 dealerships to be closed across the country
May 15, 2009
The good news is that Pinedale Wolf Dodge was not on the hit list.
The bad news is that automaker Chrysler announced on Thursday it will close down roughly 25% of its current dealerships as part of its bankruptcy plan. The termination affects 789 of its 3,181 dealerships, representing 14% of its total sales. The closure affects dealerships in Jackson, Rock Springs and Riverton, in Wyoming.
The Obama administration has put more than $7.2 billion into the company, but that still hasn’t been enough to save the giant car manufacturer. Under the bankruptcy, Chrysler will be owned by a combination of the United States government, the United Auto Workers union, and Italian carmaker Fiat.
Wolf’s Pinedale Dodge will remain as is, in part because its dealership includes all three of the Chrysler line: Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. In an ad on KPIN radio on Thursday, Wolf’s Pinedale Dodge General Manager Tony Kervitsky said, "I want to personally tell you that as of today, May 14th, we have received official word from Chrysler that we are one of the dealers who will proceed and will not be shut down. Unfortunately, there are stores in the state nearby that have lost their dealer agreements and our heart goes out to them and the families that this may affect, not to mention the communities they support. As for us, we are here to stay and service your needs as best we can. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 367-3880."
Listen to the audio of Tony Kervitsky’s comments here (633K mp3 audio file, courtesy KPIN 101.1 FM Radio)
Chrysler dealerships are independently-owned franchises. The goal of the restructuring is to consolidate their ranks into dealerships that sell all three of Chrysler’s at the same location. Chrysler’s plans to close the dealerships must still be approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court that is overseeing the government-led restructuring of the giant automaker.
Thank you to Bob Rule, KPIN 101.1 FM Radio, for his contribution to this story.
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