PARRY SOUND - It would have been the oldest Chrysler dealership in Canada this July.
On Monday, strings of racing flags were flapping limply in the breeze, casting shadows across a near-empty sales lot.
After 75 years of service, Parry Sound Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ltd. shut down permanently last Friday.
“The dealer principle went bankrupt,” says Krista Copland, service manager of 11 years. “We’re all devastated. There’s 10 families out of work in a small town.”
As of late, the dealership had been selling used vehicles from Toronto wholesalers on consignment, experiencing a surge of new cars sales since late 2009.
Amber Gowen, public relations spokesperson for Chrysler Financial, said, “Company policy doesn’t allow me to comment on matters in active litigation.”
The owner of Parry Sound Dodge Chrysler did not return calls for comment before press time.
“The biggest problem is that there’s no store,” says Copland, her voice matter of fact, “so if you’re traveling on Highway 69 and you break down in a Chrysler vehicle, you will have to get towed to the other nearest dealership.”
Customers whose vehicles remain under warranty can choose from any of the following Chrysler dealerships for servicing: Sudbury, Sundridge, Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Barrie.
Copland adds that, as long as customers keep their receipts for reimbursement, any automotive garage in Parry Sound will suffice for general maintenance checkups, including fluid changes, tire rotation and transmission service.