View Full Version : Mull Motors to Close at the end of April
ohiobuckeyes
02-06-2011, 10:57 AM
On Friday 02/04/2011 Mr. Mull walked in to our dealership at 2pm to announce to the employees that he will closing our dealership.
We are a rural Chrysler dealership located in SE Ohio in a county that has gone from a coal rich to bust in the matter of 25 years. Below is the presser that was released to the news media on Friday night.
"Regretfully, the owners of Mull Motors have made the decision to
close its doors on or before April 30, 2011. While we have enjoyed
serving the Cadiz community for several decades, competitive realities
preclude us from continuing.
Through April 2011, Mull Motors will continue to provide the same
quality sales and service the community has come to expect. Every
attempt to maintain an orderly transition with customers and suppliers
will be made until closing.
We appreciate and thank you for your past patronage."
The StraightShooter
02-06-2011, 11:27 AM
I just wanna cry everytime I here something like this.
Txflyer
02-06-2011, 12:41 PM
I hate to hear it. :( You have my most sincere condolences.
I know the kinds of thoughts that must have been going through Mr. Mull's head. My family has wrestled with them for the past year. It is a shame that he couldn't find a buyer but selling a rural Chrysler dealership is harder than winning the powerball lotto.
Do you have any idea what you are going to do after April?
ohiobuckeyes
02-06-2011, 01:00 PM
Do you have any idea what you are going to do after April?
My plans after April is to "retire" from the Car Business will be 27 in May so I can go out and reinvent myself. I have a college degree in public relations/marketing so I was thinking about going down that road. I have been in this business unofficially for around 10 years, plus I kinda have a bad taste in my mouth about "Small Rural Stores." Thanks for your support.
Txflyer
02-06-2011, 01:07 PM
My plans after April is to "retire" from the Car Business will be 27 in May so I can go out and reinvent myself.
Good idea. I'm now on my 3rd reinvention of myself after 13 years in Information Systems (Computers) and 14 years in the car business. The car business (at least owning a domestic new car franchise) left a bad taste in my mouth as well.
Possum told me a good while back that all the 789 Chrysler dealers who got canned got a bullet to the head. The rest of us (at least the small rural stores) got one to the gut, and it's just taking us longer to bleed out. Truer words have never been spoken. :(
steve_biegler
02-07-2011, 11:39 AM
WOW Buck I don't know what to say. The amount of pain out there is amazing, especially among small rural dealers, their families, employees and their families, and small towns that they reside in. With all the pricing games and requirements involved to continue I think possum was exactly right, the game she ain't what she used to be.
Best of luck to you and everyone in your store.
CL Pgh
02-07-2011, 12:04 PM
:( So sorry to hear! Best of luck to you for sure!!!
79LilRedExpress
02-07-2011, 04:53 PM
Getting out of the "car business" isn't as easy as it sounds.
I thought that I would do that one or two roller-coaster rides ago.
(before I hawked everthing I owned and became a dealer)
It's not that easy in the outside world...
Everyone that applies for the job your looking at has more "real work" experience.
Or the pay that they offer you doesn't leave enough money at the end of the month to pay the paperboy.
Yes, this is a tough business, its hard work, stressful and alot of days thank-less.
But all in all at the end of the day, I love what I do and I don't regret the decision that I made staying in the car game until I could buy my own dealership.
I will always remember where I came from, and be thankful for where I have gotten to.
Good luck in what ever you do, Mr Buckeyes!
gingersnap
02-11-2011, 06:54 AM
Buck, Good luck to you. We are in Rural PA and no all about it.
Ohio - Sorry for my delay in responding to your post.
When I learned that your store would be closing it just added to my "funk" about all the difficult times many of our members have had to endure.
According to Automotive News and NADA the car business is roaring back to life and Marchionne boasts that dealer relations have never been better. And despite all that hyperbole, stores continue to close. :(
Concerning your Dealer Principal, it speaks highly of his character that he chose to close his dealership on his own terms as opposed to driving it into bankruptcy and leaving his customers and employees in the lurch.
Concerning your future, reinvention can be a good thing. :)
possum
02-14-2011, 10:11 AM
It feels like our Dealership "family", and friends keeps dwindling down. I'm sorry, I know it's hard. I wish I could help everybody here, as much as they have helped me.
It feels like our Dealership "family", and friends keeps dwindling down.
I feel the same way - that's why I've been taking some time off and not responding to every thread. I still think there's a need for the forum but I miss what we used to have - we've lost a lot of great members. :(
I'm sorry, I know it's hard. I wish I could help everybody here, as much as they have helped me.
That's probably the hardest part for me too. So much of the pain endured by the 789 was unnecessary and unwarranted. Now the same is true for many of the NEWCO dealers who are closing their dealerships or getting out of the business.
I wish I could write a check and help the dealerships that are struggling so they could survive the recession. Sadly, I don't have the resources to do that and it's clear the dealers can't count on their OEM for support.
steve_biegler
02-14-2011, 03:54 PM
X-man,
You have done more that you know.....helped many of us keep our sanity...have a place to try to tell our stories....bitch when necessary an give heartfelt encouragement when necessary. We all know that what has happened and IS happening is wrong, there is just nothing we can do about it, but our voices need to be heard. I know most of us are preaching to the choir but there are many guests on your forum and all it takes is the right one to get an earful and who knows maybe there will be a 60 minutes article. Please hang tough most of us count on your "factory take" on things to give us another angle. As I have said before, you are NOT the average factory guy. I believe you see the emperors new clothes for what they are and are willing to say so!
A check would be nice, but what you do here can be just as good....sometimes better!
P.S. I buy a lottery ticket every Wednesday and Saturday......we can all dream, can't we?
Txflyer
02-15-2011, 05:38 AM
I feel the same way - that's why I've been taking some time off and not responding to every thread. I still think there's a need for the forum but I miss what we used to have - we've lost a lot of great members. :(
That is the really sad part. A lot of good people have left the business (at least the new car side of it) never to return. I still check the forums almost daily, but lately have been trying to follow the "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything" mantra.
79LilRedExpress
02-15-2011, 06:47 AM
That is the really sad part. A lot of good people have left the business (at least the new car side of it) never to return. I still check the forums almost daily, but lately have been trying to follow the "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything" mantra.
I agree....
Alot of us use the Forum to vent, me included, which is good, but it can be negitive.
No one feels for the 789 more than I do. I know how easy it would have been for the factory to include me and have made it 790.
A lot of the time, my rants are a product of still being scared.
Scared of the unknown.
Will the economy pick up ? Are the dealership cuts over? What is the plan after the IPO and merger of Chrysler and Fiat?
That said... I have to go on and do the best that I can to repair the damage that has been done to my store over the last two and a half years.
January was not a good month due to weather, high expense and a below average used car month.
I have to work harder and smarter, and I know that.
But it has to start with me having a good attitude.
I will start a new thread in a day or two and try to say something positive and good in it.
I hope some of you will contribute to it so that maybe the good will can spread.
This is a good Forum with great people and I would hate to lose it.
X-man,
You have done more that you know.....helped many of us keep our sanity...have a place to try to tell our stories....bitch when necessary an give heartfelt encouragement when necessary. We all know that what has happened and IS happening is wrong, there is just nothing we can do about it, but our voices need to be heard. I know most of us are preaching to the choir but there are many guests on your forum and all it takes is the right one to get an earful and who knows maybe there will be a 60 minutes article. Please hang tough most of us count on your "factory take" on things to give us another angle. As I have said before, you are NOT the average factory guy. I believe you see the emperors new clothes for what they are and are willing to say so!
A check would be nice, but what you do here can be just as good....sometimes better!
P.S. I buy a lottery ticket every Wednesday and Saturday......we can all dream, can't we?
Thanks for the kind words - I really appreciate it. :)
I'm not going to give up on the forum, I just need to step away on occasion.
Concerning your comment about the number of guests who read the forum, that's the one thing that keeps me going when I get frustrated. Thanks to Google this site get a lot of exposure and I'm often amazed when I check an IP Address and learn who's been reading the forum. (The OEMS, media, banks, government, etc.)
I remain convinced the dealers need a voice and the forum is a tool that can provide it.
I still check the forums almost daily, but lately have been trying to follow the "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything" mantra.
That's exactly where I'm at.
I'm not a negative person and overall I have a positive outlook on most situations. I enjoyed this forum the most when it was fun to visit and read the different posts. Hell, I used to look forward to the Landry/Press Conference Calls so we could compare notes and comment on Press' unmatched enthusiasm when he first joined Chrysler. :rolleyes:
That said, it was impossible for me to be light-hearted and positive given the way Chrysler treated the OLDCO dealers and sadly Marchionne has just made the situation worse.
I've often wondered where the forum would be if I had decided to target KIA dealers instead of Chrysler?
I agree....
Alot of us use the Forum to vent, me included, which is good, but it can be negitive.
No one feels for the 789 more than I do. I know how easy it would have been for the factory to include me and have made it 790.
A lot of the time, my rants are a product of still being scared.
Scared of the unknown.
Will the economy pick up ? Are the dealership cuts over? What is the plan after the IPO and merger of Chrysler and Fiat?
That said... I have to go on and do the best that I can to repair the damage that has been done to my store over the last two and a half years.
January was not a good month due to weather, high expense and a below average used car month.
I have to work harder and smarter, and I know that.
But it has to start with me having a good attitude.
I will start a new thread in a day or two and try to say something positive and good in it.
I hope some of you will contribute to it so that maybe the good will can spread.
This is a good Forum with great people and I would hate to lose it.
Great post - I think a lot of our members can relate to what you've said.
Concerning the negativity, that's a real issue. No one wants to visit a forum that's 100% negative - it's like having a salesperson that manages to "crap-out" the rest of the sales staff.
Concerning more new threads on the forum, I wish we had more threads that were started by someone other than myself. History has proven that many of the most valuable threads on the forum are the ones started by one of our members.
I wonder, is the issue that some of our members don't know how to start a new thread or do they fear that their comments will be shot-down?
I've attached a PDF file with a clipping from the local newspaper that covered the closing of Mull Motors.
Based on the report it's clear there have been a number of businesses that have recently closed within the community. Sadly, many of those jobs and tax dollars are lost forever. :(
Here's the PDF file:
.
ohiobuckeyes
03-03-2011, 07:05 PM
Update - As of this evening we have had some great success with retailing our Used Vehicles. When we started this process we had around 30 in stock today we have only 17 left. Our New Vehicles we are down to 5 2011 Dodge products. These vehicle should leave next week which would take us to Used Only until "The End."
The days don't get any easier, but we all are still in great spirit's and are enjoying our time left together. Some day's I don't have the energy to get up in the morning and make the drive to work, but yet each day we are all there everyday. And profession dress when out the window on 2/7/11.
As for me I have a few good leads with companies that work with automotive dealers. Some of these are outside of the local area. Hopefully I can save my unemployment to another time.
steve_biegler
03-04-2011, 05:20 AM
Update - As of this evening we have had some great success with retailing our Used Vehicles. When we started this process we had around 30 in stock today we have only 17 left. Our New Vehicles we are down to 5 2011 Dodge products. These vehicle should leave next week which would take us to Used Only until "The End."
The days don't get any easier, but we all are still in great spirit's and are enjoying our time left together. Some day's I don't have the energy to get up in the morning and make the drive to work, but yet each day we are all there everyday. And profession dress when out the window on 2/7/11.
As for me I have a few good leads with companies that work with automotive dealers. Some of these are outside of the local area. Hopefully I can save my unemployment to another time.
Good Luck...Keep your chin up. You have many friends on the forum pulling for you!
Update - As of this evening we have had some great success with retailing our Used Vehicles. When we started this process we had around 30 in stock today we have only 17 left. Our New Vehicles we are down to 5 2011 Dodge products. These vehicle should leave next week which would take us to Used Only until "The End."
The days don't get any easier, but we all are still in great spirit's and are enjoying our time left together. Some day's I don't have the energy to get up in the morning and make the drive to work, but yet each day we are all there everyday. And profession dress when out the window on 2/7/11.
As for me I have a few good leads with companies that work with automotive dealers. Some of these are outside of the local area. Hopefully I can save my unemployment to another time.
Thanks for the update. :)
I'm sure it's hard waking up each morning knowing that your day's work is going to be dis-assembling something you've spent so much time and energy building.
It is fortunate you have a good Dealer Principal who had the foresight to wind the business down in an orderly fashion. Sadly, most dealer closing are not this well orchestrated and result in a lot of pain for the dealership's employees, customers and vendors.
Concerning your future, I'm sure you'll do well and you can learn a lot from this experience. The car business is changing fast - essentially it's a situation where you either adapt or die.
Good Luck...Keep your chin up. You have many friends on the forum pulling for you!
Well stated. :thumbsup:
Add me to the list of the people who are wishing the best for ohiobuckeyes. :)
ohiobuckeyes
03-19-2011, 05:20 PM
As of March 19, 2011 we have 7 used vehicles left on the lot. My access to dealer connect has been cut. I have learned that you need to dealer trade all your new vehicles, since Chrysler is taking it's good old time moving them to a new home.
Next week we start on the parts return and cleaning up the place. Our service and bodyshop is rather busy, but who would of thought it would be busy.
The days got longer Sunday but some how the work day goes very quick, going to have to get the camera out from some photos for the scrap book.
But we all continue on the path of unknown. I think many people may think we are crazy for all staying until the end, but I know that I will never find a group of co-workers that are truly friends. Also I know at my next job my new co-works are going to get tired of hearing Mull Motors stories and might think I'm a snob for not have lunch with them or socializing but it's just not going to be the same.
ohio - Thanks for the update. :)
I think it's great that so many of your co-workers stayed on-board to help wind-down the dealership's operations. As before, I think it speaks highly of the people you work with and the way your Dealer Principal treated them.
Concerning your last day for DealerConnect, I think that's something a lot of our members can relate to. As I mentioned in another thread, Chrysler's dealer count is now under 2,300 dealers - that's less than half of what it was 15 years ago. There are thousands of people who now look at the Pentastar through their rearview mirror.
Best of luck going forward - I hope your loyalty to your current dealer is somehow rewarded in your search for a new career.
ohiobuckeyes
04-01-2011, 04:08 PM
I know you call can keep a secret. Just got off the phone with Chrysler and it's a go. Ma & Pa Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is going to be opening soon at the old Mull Motors on May 1, 2011 be there. Can not wait for my 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 (green with envy) to get here its the first car ordered. Hope everyone had a great April Fools Day.
I know you call can keep a secret. Just got off the phone with Chrysler and it's a go. Ma & Pa Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is going to be opening soon at the old Mull Motors on May 1, 2011 be there. Can not wait for my 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 (green with envy) to get here its the first car ordered. Hope everyone had a great April Fools Day.
Too bad this had to be an April 1st announcement. :p
For the most part I escaped April Fools Day unscathed but there were some pretty good spoofs about upcoming cell phones that made me laugh. Some people are pretty gullible.
ohiobuckeyes
04-09-2011, 08:04 PM
Well we have 3 weeks left, and only working Monday-Friday now. I was out at a friends dealership today helping out doing some odd and ends along with some tech issues which I had a blast.
Our vehicles we have left are mostly Mini-Vans and a Buick (5). Chrysler came this week to take our New Cars Finally this past week. :(
And we finished our Termination return for Parts 6 cages full with crates. And working with our fellow "Chrysler" dealers on purchasing what is left in the our Parts Inventory.
This past week we let 2 more employees go from the bodyshop and detail departments. As of Monday we have 6 employees left, we are all hoping to make the April 29th D-Day together.
One thing that is driving me nuts is the amount of people in person that are asking "are you going to another dealer" or "what are you going to do", I answer with my normal "I'm going to retire and move to Florida" :) with a Big Smile on my face. But I guess it's apart of the job these days.
The one thing I'm going to miss about being inside of the dealership is the seal I get on parts, service contracts, gap insurance, etc. It's going to suck to pay Retail.
ohiobuckeyes
04-18-2011, 07:17 PM
Well we are down to the LAST CAR on the lot. :(
We will wind down our Service and Collision Center on Friday April 22, 2011. Next week we hope to go some general cleaning of our departments then We lock the doors together (I hope) on April 29th. We have 6 employees left 3 in the back 3 in the front.
To be continued.....
Well we are down to the LAST CAR on the lot. :(
We will wind down our Service and Collision Center on Friday April 22, 2011. Next week we hope to go some general cleaning of our departments then We lock the doors together (I hope) on April 29th. We have 6 employees left 3 in the back 3 in the front.
To be continued.....
Thanks for the update - I know it must be hard to wind-down your dealer's operations and have the customers asking about your future plans.
As before, I hope your loyalty to your dealer is recognized by your next employer and you have a chance to find another place of employment where your co-workers seem like your family and friends.
ohiobuckeyes
04-20-2011, 03:54 PM
As before, I hope your loyalty to your dealer is recognized by your next employer and you have a chance to find another place of employment where your co-workers seem like your family and friends.
Thanks XMAN! I hope that my next employer will recognized my hard work and dedication to my job and former employer.
ohiobuckeyes
04-28-2011, 06:40 PM
I think this picture speaks for its self.....
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/9794/emptylot.jpg (http://img853.imageshack.us/i/emptylot.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
steve_biegler
04-30-2011, 08:54 AM
I think this picture speaks for its self.....
http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/9794/emptylot.jpg (http://img853.imageshack.us/i/emptylot.jpg/)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
Some pictures are worth 1000 words......I'd say this one is 1000 tears. So sad. Keep your chin up Buck.
Some pictures are worth 1000 words......I'd say this one is 1000 tears. So sad. Keep your chin up Buck.
I agree on all counts - it's so sad to see another dealership close down. :(
I remember in the old days (circa 1995) when Pappert used to comment that any store that had a Pentastar hanging on the wall was worth at least $1 Million Blue Sky. Those were the days.
Hang in there the best you can and thanks for keeping this thread updated.
rd3311
05-03-2011, 06:36 AM
Yes, the days of blue sky...it is sad when you wait too long and then realize there is nothing left to sell. The car business is like the craps table in a casino, you have to realize when the dice get cold..:)
79LilRedExpress
05-03-2011, 08:10 PM
As of May 2nd....
Ohiobuckeyes now works with me.
Txflyer
05-04-2011, 04:36 AM
As of May 2nd....
Ohiobuckeyes now works with me.
Congratulations!!!!
rd3311
05-04-2011, 05:03 AM
That is a true happy ending to this thread :D
steve_biegler
05-04-2011, 05:21 AM
Red to the rescue...:spotman:.....I wish you both much success!!!:)
The StraightShooter
05-04-2011, 07:16 AM
:beerchug:
ohiobuckeyes
05-04-2011, 09:10 AM
As of May 2nd....
Ohiobuckeyes now works with me.
Help Help I'm being held Hostage with LilRed. Just joking.
It's going well he's keeping on my feet. Which is a good thing. Just wanted to let you know how it's going.
As of May 2nd....
Ohiobuckeyes now works with me.
That's awesome and it's some of the best news I've read on this forum in a long time. :)
I remember when Dealer Standards first started Ohiobuckeyes worked very hard to ensure he understood the rules and his dealership met the program requirements. It's great to hear that all of that knowledge can still be put to good use.
I'm very happy for both Ohio and Red and I wish them the best of success going forward.
ohiobuckeyes
02-03-2012, 08:04 PM
It was one year ago (2/4/11) that it was announced to the employees of Mull Motors that the store is closing. While our Chrysler business ended on March 6th, we continued on until April 29th.
Although we will never have any closure to what happened, many people sure do like to speculate. Was Mr. Mull (Absentee Owner) tired of pouring millions of dollars into an unprofitable business? Nope, the store was profitable until January 2011. Was it the factory demands of new facilities, archways, floorplan? To my knowledge, Chrysler never once called to ask for a new facility or an archway. I know at one point we had talked about where it would be placed, but that was about it. We were “in tight” with Ally Financial. Maybe it was a back door deal with Chrysler and another local dealer for the Dodge Chrysler franchise? No clue, perhaps the accountant told Mr. Mull to “Write us off” or it may have been the closing of the Chevrolet-Cadillac franchise in 2009? Mr. Mull was a “Pro-GM” guy, most of his fleet consists of Chevrolet's.
Today, Harrison County, Ohio is generating new property tax dollars with the individual personal sale of mineral rights from Marcellus Shale Drilling. It was announced on 1/24/2012 that the county has an increase of sales tax revenue, which they say has nothing to do with the drilling. Mull Motors was one of the largest tax payers in the county in payroll taxes, sales & use and vehicle sales tax.
Could Mull Motors recover? Yes. The gas and oil drilling companies have vehicles that would need servicing. Residents of the county have received bonus checks from selling their mineral rights. I know many people with their checks that have purchased vehicles from other dealerships in the area. Could Mull Motors earn their business? I would hope.
What have I learned from all this? I learned it sucks. We all left each other on April 30th and it felt like I buried a family member. I know that I will never go back to “work” anymore; its’ just a job today. I miss the customers, having conversations in the waiting area just about daily life, their kids and grandkids. The people that I worked with as well, we had a lot of fun and chatted about millions of topics at lunch. Now I eat alone. I still keep in touch with a few people, but it’s not the same.
What about OhioBuckeyes? I’m slowly getting over my depression on what happened. I have a few regrets for this whole process. I’m healthy and still have my hair – which is all that counts to me.
ohiobuckeyes
02-03-2012, 08:10 PM
Here are some photo's from my last trip to Cadiz in December.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8203/39345754079294532488300.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/39345754079294532488300.jpg/) http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/957/38136254079301019488300.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/600/38136254079301019488300.jpg/)
steve_biegler
02-04-2012, 10:18 AM
Still working with Red?
ohiobuckeyes
02-04-2012, 11:17 AM
Still working with Red?
We parted ways a few months back.
steve_biegler
02-04-2012, 11:55 AM
What are you doing now?
ohiobuckeyes
02-05-2012, 08:21 PM
What are you doing now?
I'm at a competitive CDJR dealership in Ohio working at an Office Administrator and Back up Finance Manager.
Here are some photo's from my last trip to Cadiz in December.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8203/39345754079294532488300.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/96/39345754079294532488300.jpg/) http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/957/38136254079301019488300.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/600/38136254079301019488300.jpg/)
Thanks for the update.
For me, there are few things that look worse than a business that's been closed for over a year with no activity. I think it's just a huge visual reminder that the country's still in a recession.
The irony with Mull Motors is the store would likely be successful today if they had weathered the storm. Given Chrysler's improved product line, their recent strong sales and the abundance of mineral rights revenue in the community the dealership would probably be on a solid recovery path.
That said, when it comes to reopening a closed dealership it's a gargantuan task. In this case it's probably too late to "un-ring the bell" and the dealership is likely gone forever.
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