After 51 years as a Ford dealer in Delavan, Illinois, Roland Rich Automotive is giving up its franchise amid rising operating costs and difficulty finding qualified mechanics.
The decision ends new Ford vehicle sales at the dealership, along with factory-authorized warranty and recall repairs. Customers needing those services will now have to visit another authorized Ford dealer.
Owner Roland Rich, now in his 80s, isn’t closing the business. He plans to continue selling used vehicles, offering general repairs, and supplying automotive parts.
Rich is also looking toward the future, hoping to find someone with automotive sales experience who could eventually take over the business.
Keeping Shop Open
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In an October 11 interview with the Delavan Dispatch, Rich explained that he wanted to keep the repair shop running so residents would still have somewhere local to get their vehicles serviced.
The dealership has already taken a step toward that goal by hiring Ed Niederhauser, a mechanic with more than 25 years of automotive repair experience.
Rich believes demand from Delavan and surrounding communities is still strong enough to support an independent automotive shop.
Changing Customer Base
Finding mechanics wasn’t the only problem. Rich remembers when young adults returned to Delavan, started families, and traded in their cars for something bigger.
With fewer young families following that pattern today, selling enough new vehicles to maintain the Ford franchise has become more difficult.
Rich also worries about what losing new-car sales could mean for Delavan’s tax revenue.
He pointed to a recent $92,000 vehicle sale to illustrate how much taxable business the town could lose when customers purchase their vehicles elsewhere.
Customers React
The decision also brought back memories for longtime customers.
Several residents shared their experiences buying vehicles from Rich in response to the Delavan Dispatch’s Facebook post.
Among them was Greg Hasler, who said his family had bought eight vehicles from the dealership over the years, including seven brand-new ones. Raymond Linson remembered buying his first car there 37 years ago, while Zac Hawkins recalled purchasing a one-year-old Ford Gran Torino Elite from Rich in 1977 for $2,500.
The familiar Ford lettering has already been removed from the dealership’s building.