Shaeffer & Strominger located in Cambridge, Maryland is scheduled to close.
Last month Bob Smith Automotive Group - a GM dealer - located in Easton, Maryland closed and now Shaeffer & Strominger of Cambridge, Maryland has scheduled to close. Their service department is scheduled to close April 30, 2009 followed-up by their sales department on May 2, 2009.
A lagging economy and sagging sales have significantly contributed to not only a decline of the Big Three but now the trickle-down effect is branching out to all sectors.
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19 comments:
this hasnt been a GM dealer for awhile! its chrysler and dodge
8:40am
funny how their website is plastered with GM brands
RE: sickofsbypolitics Post
I looked S&S website and it says GM dealer. They also have offices across the Bay.
Either Chrysler, Dodge, or GM what a mess for two huge local dealers to now be defunct.
If I'm not mistaken, the Counties, Talbot and Dorchester, doesn't even have an inventory tax.
Now that is interesting in light of the fact that Wicomico has an inventory tax.
Better keep you eyes out for Courtesy and Sherwood as they could easily go next.
yeah its a mess. just fyi, Courtesy in Salisbury is by no means on their way out from what I hear. This should help their cause if its any consolation.
GM needs plants that can be re-tooled more easily. They have missed the boat when it comes to manufacturing evolutions. Lets hope someone over there turns things around for them. ALOT of jobs will be affected if they don't get straight. A WHOLE LOT.
I noticed that Midway RV has now moved just across the State Line into Delaware. I wonder why they made the move after being located across from Wor Wic so long. Maybe the inventory tax was motive enough for them to decide to make the transition into Delaware. If I'm not mistaken, the inventory tax is not only applicable to building materials but any inventory inside Wicomico's boundaries.
What a shame on our Politicians to allow this to happen.
Id love to see Courtesy Chevy go out of busines....What a terrible dealership....its funny two years ago....those arrogant people that work in the upper managment thought that they could say and do whatever they liked and now its come home to roost....LOL....I think its funny how many times I get calls from local dealers who would not deal with you at all...we have bought most of our trucks and cars from out of state sometimes as far as Salt Lake City. had them shipped here at THOUSANDS of dollars cheaper (yes even after shipping it from across the country)then they could even get near. or want to get near
9:24
said "those arrogant people that work in the upper managment thought that they could say and do whatever they liked and now its come home to roost..."
What does those people in upper management at a small dealership saying or doing something have to do with what is happening in Detroit?
You are probably speaking of one of the most unprofessional people I have ever run across. His name was Art right? He has not been there in more than 3 years. Believe me, I can certainly understand your disdain from that imbecile. There may be some tools there, just like every other dealership, but to wish that all of the people they employ (60+ from my understanding) would lose their job because of one bad experience you had with the management seems a bit over zealous.
BTW There is always a better deal out there if you search for it and are willing to do your homework. Just because they didn't drop their price to what you are willing to pay doesn't condemn them as a bad business. I would bet you they got the price they wanted from someone. What's wrong with that?
S&S is a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership now. I don't care what their website says; ride by there.
anonymous 10:00, their GM division is closing. What don't you get about that?
The car business is a difficult one even in good times. The internet and easy searching capabilities by most people mean that now you probably won't just price a new Ford at the two or three nearest to your home but can get prices from hundreds of dealers. And can always find one a few dollars cheaper than the last one. Question is- who's going to perform the brand-specific service items that you can't get fixed at Pep Boys? When a local dealer goes under, the ripple effect goes farther than you might think at first.
Not even to talk about the blight to the landscape that those empty car lots will soon become. There aren't many other uses for a dealership building, as it sits.
I hope that the small town, local dealerships in the area somehow survive. They remember what customer service was before it was a "trendy phrase".
The dealer to be worried about is Midway in Pocomoke. It's also owned by the same group as Courtesy. Their inventory is obviously running off - only a couple of pickups, no G8's, and other models aren't there. I go through there every week - it's plain to see. Their Toyota store next door still has a competitive inventory.
I am an employee of S&S in Cambridge and we are closing. We are a Chevrolet, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep dealer. We do stock more Chryslers than GM's but we are a dealer of both brands.
Personally, I think we all should be upset about 20 more people on the shore who will be out of work and most likely on unemployement.
S&S is a multiple dealership corp. the local one just happens to be centered on chrysler products.
Reference 12:11 Post
Thank you for your clarification of brands.
I'm so sorry for you to have to endure this financial meltdown.
On the high note. . .'where one door closes another one opens'
Keep this in mind as the days pass.
I am sorry about this turn of events also. I got to know the service staff after buying a car there in September. Everybody from the finance department to the salesman were very pleasant to deal with, which is why I ended up going with them instead of a Salisbury dealer. My big concern is that I bought an extended warranty through them (not through Chrysler) and I am worried that I threw money down the drain if its not going to be honored. I am sorry to all the people thrown out of work as well. My problems aren't their fault. They did a good job. I would trade them for Courtesy or Pohanka any time. Good luck, guys!
Hey Lee Denny, maybe you can take a lesson from Dave Strohminger about class and professionalism. He had the guts to come down and tell his people himself that they were closing. Lee hasn't told us yet. Or paid us.
Anon. 9:24,
Midway RV is not going out of business. They opened an outlet up in Delmar. And they are ran by two different people. The one on Beaver Run Dr. (across from Wor-Wic Community College) is still open and running. And in fact, that one has purchase property across the street as their maintenace shop.
I worked at SKS for 6 years and it was a great dealership. To the person who is worried about the warranty through the dealership, the 'aftermarket' extended warranty is probably through JM&A, Jim Moran & Associates out of Florida which is a reputable, nationwide company. Any ASE certified service center can honor the warranty provided the service center is willing to do the warranty work. I have no doubt Mr. Strohminger came down and told his employees. He and the Schaefer family are topnotch family people despite their success. You always knew they'd wash a car themselves if it meant getting a car cleaned for a customer taking delivery. BTW, they were originally a GM dealer and then bought the Dodge/Chrysler franchise but still had Chevy albeit a futile attempt with the 'Giant' in Easton with all the lines and inventory. Sorry to hear about them closing.
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