PORT ANGELES — The North Olympic Peninsula has acquired a Chevrolet dealership.
Ruddell Auto Mall of Port Angeles has landed a Chevrolet franchise, company president and dealer Howie Ruddell announced.
The Port Angeles dealership is offering new Chevrolets now and will sell a full line of Chevrolet cars, trucks, vans and SUVs in addition to the Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Hyundais sold at 110 S. Golf Course Road.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for our dealership,” Ruddell said.
The Peninsula market had been without a Chevrolet franchise since the company and Bill Koenig of Koenig Subaru agreed to part ways in January 2015.
Ruddell Auto Mall secured the franchise through a competitive process in which Chevrolet examined dealership performance, market share, customer satisfaction, facilities and other variables.
“There was local interest, there was statewide interest and there was national interest,” Ruddell said Tuesday.
“That’s how strong Chevrolet is, and to have that opportunity is significant.”
The franchise means customers will have more new vehicles to chose from, including the Camaro, Corvette, the electric Bolt and the longest-running nameplate in U.S. history — the Chevrolet Suburban, he said.
“It’s a great testament and confirmation of what our team has been doing for many, many years,” Ruddell added.
“It validates all the hard work that everybody here has done.”
The anticipated sales rate for Chevrolet is more than all of Ruddell Auto Mall’s other brands combined, Ruddell said.
“There’s definitely an electricity in the air here, and a lot of excitement,” Ruddell said.
“The whole team here, all 40 employees, are very, very excited.”
The Chevrolet franchise is expected to increase Ruddell Auto Mall’s new unit volume by 15 to 20 vehicles per month.
It also has the potential to add a “significant amount of tax revenue for the city of Port Angeles,” Ruddell said.
Remodeling plans for the dealership are in the works.
Ruddell’s grandfather and mentor, the late Howard B. Ruddell, began selling Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs and GMC trucks in Port Angeles the 1940s and secured a Chevrolet dealership in 1964.
The senior Ruddell had the Chevrolet franchise until 1976.
Howie’s father, Howard M. “Mac” Ruddell, co-owned Ruddell Auto Mall with his wife, Sandy, until his death in 2001.
“I have always had a healthy respect for Chevrolet and wished we had an opportunity to have a franchise,” Howie Ruddell said.
“To have it come full circle is just a marvelous opportunity for us.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
