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Ford of Ventura to shut down dealership in October
For more than six decades, a Ford dealership has greeted passersby along Main Street in Ventura, across from the Pacific View Mall.
The business will close shop permanently on Oct. 15.
Originally named R.E. Barber Ford, the dealership was owned by the Barber family until 1960 when Larry Meister took over the business, according to newspaper archives.
After he died in 2005, his wife, Barbara Meister, carried on running Barber Ford, Barber RV, Barber Subaru and Barber Volkswagen. They employed about 180 people at the four dealerships.
But one by one, Barbara Meister sold the dealerships until the Ventura shop was their last. Meister's children were not interested in running the dealerships, she said at the time.
She sold the Ford dealership to Sil Gonzales in March 2014, and he renamed it Ford of Ventura.
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It's not clear why the Ventura business is shutting down for good.
Jim Rodey, Ford of Ventura controller, declined to say why the dealership was closing or if it was related to a lack of customers or supply issues.
He said the business has stopped accepting new customers.
"That's why we stopped taking in service, and we're selling the rest of the cars and winding down the business," Rodey said.
Current Ford of Ventura customers can go to other nearby Ford dealerships such as Oxnard, Simi Valley or Santa Barbara, he said.
The controller also declined to answer questions on how many employees work at the dealership or how many were losing their jobs.
"I don't want to give numbers on that. Employees are finding other jobs, and I don't want to disrupt anything they're working on," Rodey said.
Emails left with Ford Motor Company went unreturned.
Meredith Hart, economic development manager for Ventura, said the dealership is consolidating.
"While we understand that Ford of Ventura is consolidating with the Ford dealership in Oxnard, we are sad to see such a long-standing business move from our community," she said in a statement.
The city's new and used automobile dealerships averaged more than $5.1 million per year in sales tax revenue between 2017 to 2020 and increased to more than $6.7 million in 2021.
Hart did not say if another dealership is lined up but said ideally all auto dealerships should be located at the auto center. Multiple uses can be allowed at the Ford location, including auto sales, residential, retail and dining, Hart said. The property is classified as general commercial.
Richard Bauleke, 76, of Ventura called the dealership last month to get an oil change for his 2018 Ford Flex and learned of the closure.
"They said they were no longer taking appointments, and they were closing," Bauleke said. "If you did not have a prior appointment they were not taking them. I said, 'Oh wow.'"
He said he was told to go to other dealerships like the one in Simi Valley. Bauleke asked if the woman who answered the phone call was going to get laid off. She said yes and added other workers would also be laid off if they weren't transferred to other dealerships, he said.
"I said, 'I'm really sorry to hear that,'" Bauleke said.
The Ventura resident said he purchased his car in January 2019 and had the vehicle repaired in June. His touch screen did not work in June and it took a couple of weeks to get the part, he said.
"I was very satisfied with their service," Bauleke said.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at [email protected], 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/ford-ventura-shut-down-dealership-213532792.html
For more than six decades, a Ford dealership has greeted passersby along Main Street in Ventura, across from the Pacific View Mall.
The business will close shop permanently on Oct. 15.
Originally named R.E. Barber Ford, the dealership was owned by the Barber family until 1960 when Larry Meister took over the business, according to newspaper archives.
After he died in 2005, his wife, Barbara Meister, carried on running Barber Ford, Barber RV, Barber Subaru and Barber Volkswagen. They employed about 180 people at the four dealerships.
But one by one, Barbara Meister sold the dealerships until the Ventura shop was their last. Meister's children were not interested in running the dealerships, she said at the time.
She sold the Ford dealership to Sil Gonzales in March 2014, and he renamed it Ford of Ventura.
Catch up: Report of possible 'active threat' at Ventura College unfounded, police say
It's not clear why the Ventura business is shutting down for good.
Jim Rodey, Ford of Ventura controller, declined to say why the dealership was closing or if it was related to a lack of customers or supply issues.
He said the business has stopped accepting new customers.
"That's why we stopped taking in service, and we're selling the rest of the cars and winding down the business," Rodey said.
Current Ford of Ventura customers can go to other nearby Ford dealerships such as Oxnard, Simi Valley or Santa Barbara, he said.
The controller also declined to answer questions on how many employees work at the dealership or how many were losing their jobs.
"I don't want to give numbers on that. Employees are finding other jobs, and I don't want to disrupt anything they're working on," Rodey said.
Emails left with Ford Motor Company went unreturned.
Meredith Hart, economic development manager for Ventura, said the dealership is consolidating.
"While we understand that Ford of Ventura is consolidating with the Ford dealership in Oxnard, we are sad to see such a long-standing business move from our community," she said in a statement.
The city's new and used automobile dealerships averaged more than $5.1 million per year in sales tax revenue between 2017 to 2020 and increased to more than $6.7 million in 2021.
Hart did not say if another dealership is lined up but said ideally all auto dealerships should be located at the auto center. Multiple uses can be allowed at the Ford location, including auto sales, residential, retail and dining, Hart said. The property is classified as general commercial.
Richard Bauleke, 76, of Ventura called the dealership last month to get an oil change for his 2018 Ford Flex and learned of the closure.
"They said they were no longer taking appointments, and they were closing," Bauleke said. "If you did not have a prior appointment they were not taking them. I said, 'Oh wow.'"
He said he was told to go to other dealerships like the one in Simi Valley. Bauleke asked if the woman who answered the phone call was going to get laid off. She said yes and added other workers would also be laid off if they weren't transferred to other dealerships, he said.
"I said, 'I'm really sorry to hear that,'" Bauleke said.
The Ventura resident said he purchased his car in January 2019 and had the vehicle repaired in June. His touch screen did not work in June and it took a couple of weeks to get the part, he said.
"I was very satisfied with their service," Bauleke said.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at [email protected], 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/ford-ventura-shut-down-dealership-213532792.html
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