Frederick Dodge buys Greenwood auto business

The new Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge opened for business Saturday.
BOARDMAN -- Frederick Dodge has bought Greenwood Market Motor Chrysler & amp; Jeep and combined the dealerships at the Market Motor location at 7871 Market St.
The transaction slightly more than doubles the size of Frederick Dodge. The name of the new dealership is Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge.
"This puts all three Chrysler brands -- Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge -- under one dealership for the first time on Market Street, and fulfills a long-term goal of our family, " said Robert L. Frederick Sr., vice president of the family-owner dealership.
"We are very bullish about the business and thrilled that this opportunity came up," he said.
The combined dealership was open for business Saturday. Market Motor closed on Friday and the Frederick dealership moved in Friday night.
Frederick's 40 employees made the move, and 25 of the former Market Motor employees were hired by the new dealership. Other Market Motor employees were relocated to other Greenwood dealerships, Frederick officials said.
Background
Frederick Dodge, which expanded from Canfield to Boardman in 1991, had sales of 26 million in 2005. With the acquisition, Frederick Dodge officials said, they expect 2007 sales to surpass 60 million.
The new Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge will have about 28,000 square feet of showroom, service and office space, compared withabout 15,000 square feet at its former location.
In addition, a body shop has been added, a service the former Frederick Dodge did not offer, said Robert L. Frederick II, president of the dealership. He said the Market Motor body shop remains open, staffed by its former Market Motor employees, including its manager, Chuck Bettura.
Frederick Dodge had been seeking to expand, and planned earlier this year to build a new location in front of the Southwoods Executive Center on Market Street. But after a legal challenge, Frederick sold that location and pursued other expansion plans.
"We were hoping to acquire the Chrysler and Jeep brands some day down the road, but we were very pleased when they became available in the short term," Frederick Sr. said.
"What started out to be a very disappointing situation has turned into a very exciting one," he said.
The former Frederick Dodge facility at 7554 Market will not remain vacant for long. Robin Frederick, daughter of Frederick Sr., said Jim Pace Pontiac of Niles has bought the property and plans to open a new Saturn dealership there.
Frederick Dodge was established by Frederick Sr. in 1960 in Canfield. The Frederick family still operates the Frederick Motors auto restoration shop on U.S. Route 224 in Canfield.