Published: April 24, 2008 10:57 pm            

Ford dealership says goodbye to Terre Haute

Spokeswoman says company pursuing new Terre Haute-based dealer

TERRE HAUTE — About one month after Ford dealerships in Sullivan and Paris, Ill., closed their doors, Terre Haute Ford also has stopped doing business.

“We knew it was coming,” said Jeff Richey, 36, of Marshall, Ill., a former Terre Haute Ford employee. In all, more than 50 people worked at the three dealerships, he said.

Sullivan Ford, Paris Ford-Mercury and Terre Haute Ford were owned by Kevin Beyrer. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.

In March, when the earlier closures took place, Beyrer told the Tribune-Star that current market conditions led him to consolidate the three dealerships.

Richey said the Terre Haute dealership had a lot of customers and that money was not a problem.

However, a spokeswoman for Ford Motor Co. said a lack of finances caused the latest closure.

“It was simply because they just simply didn’t have the finances to keep the business going, unfortunately,” said Marisa Bradley, spokeswoman in Dearborn, Mich.

Bradley said the nearest Ford dealerships for Terre Haute customers are in Clinton, Brazil and Marshall.

All Ford vehicles and other property owned by Ford Motor Co. at Terre Haute Ford were turned over to the nation’s second-largest domestic car maker, Bradley said.

Ford is pursuing an opportunity for a new Terre Haute-based dealer, Bradley said. “We do not intend to keep the dealership closed,” she said, adding that Ford has been represented in Terre Haute since 1912. “We want to make sure we can rectify the situation as soon as possible. We want to make sure we can serve the community and its residents.”

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com. The Tribune-Star’s Crystal Garcia contributed to this report.

        

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