Holman Ford Mercury, 1111 West Market Street Extension: late 1990s












Here lies the original location of Holman Ford Mercury for most of its existence. If I recall correctly, this dealership moved to its Highway 9 location across from Windsor Drive sometime near the end of the 1990s. Soon after, it seems their business went downhill with the dealership folding in 2007, according to this website. The Highway 9 location is now the Free Worship church.

I decided that this closing was appropriate for this week after having had to go to Bennettsville to take my car to a Ford dealership yesterday for a parts recall. It's a minor inconvenience, though it would have been nice not to have had to go out of town. If you drive a Chevy, you don't have that problem because there is at least a Chevy dealership here.

I am surprised that another dealer has not opened up shop in this spot since the move, though that might have briefly been the case. The blue "Car Sales" sticker on the front appears to have had another word or two (perhaps "Holman") before "Car Sales" at one point, and maybe that was modified by a later occupant of this location. According to this article, an independent dealer was supposed to take over the Holman dealership after it dissolved, and there was a lawsuit involving some discrepancy in the terms between Ford and the dealer; I am not sure if the dealer was going to get this location or the one on Highway 9. There's also the "Bud Motor" sign I found laying against the fence, which seems to suggest another dealer having occupied this location at one point.

If you need a Ford dealership, the two closest ones are in Bennettsville (on Highway 38 just after turning off Highway 15) and Rockingham (in front of the Walmart). Or go buy a Chevy.


Comments