By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
For 92 years, Manweiler Chevrolet has been operating as a Chevy dealership in Hoisington. After General Motors approved the sale Wednesday, the dealership on South Main Street will still serve Central Kansas but soon with a new name. Owner Gene Manweiler sold the dealership to long-time sales manager Micah Ehler.
Gene noted he will be assisting with the ownership transition and
easing into retirement.
"I'll be like my dad," said Manweiler. "My dad came in here about every day after he retired. I like the social aspect of having our business on Main Street. So many friends will come in for an oil change and end up in my office telling fishing or hunting stories."
The sale will take effect Nov. 1, 2020 and the dealership will be renamed to Ehler
Chevrolet LLC. Manweiler will still own the property and for the time being plans
to keep the neon Manweiler signs up.
With Gene being the fourth generation of
Manweilers to own the dealership, he can remember how both his grandfather and
father ran the business.
"After my grandpa started selling his business shares to my dad, he would come here to visit from Montana," said Manweiler. "I would be sitting in my sales office, and he would go 'Gene Allen, don't you have something to do?' I learned a lot from his demeanor with customers in the showroom."
Gene says when he interviewed Ehler for a job over 10 years ago, Micah
mentioned he would like to have ownership in a business like Manweiler
Chevrolet someday. In fact, Ehler was getting ready to open up his own car lot in town.
Gene referred to Ehler as the best salesman and that most people that talk to
Ehler usually end up buying.
Gene says there will not be many other big changes to the dealership’s
service and inventory on used and new vehicles.
"You will still see me at the dealership from time to time, maybe not during hunting season, but I'll still be around," joked Manweiler.
Listen below to the Gene Manweiler interview with Eagle Radio's Cole Reif.