North Huntingdon Kenny Ross dealerships sold | TribLIVE.com - TribLIVE

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An automotive dealership that has been a fixture along Route 30 in North Huntingdon since the early 1950s was purchased by the owner of two Chevrolet dealerships in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Kenny Ross Chevrolet Buick GMC was sold recently to Riverview Automotive Group and the name changed to Riverview Chevrolet, Buick GMC. Chris DeCuir owns Riverview Automotive with his father, Patrick DeCuir.

“This was an opportunity to be close to our other dealership,” DeCuir said. The family’s new dealership is about six miles from the family’s Riverview Chevrolet in White Oak. It also operates Washington Chevrolet in South Strabane, just outside Washington, Pa.

DeCuir, who operates Riverview Chevrolet under the name of DeCuir Automotive Group, said the family learned from GMC that the dealership was for sale. He declined to reveal the purchase price.

The fact that the nation’s economy has taken such a hit from the covid-19 restrictions did not deter the family from buying the dealership, DeCuir said.

Even though the state prohibited new car sales for close to two months in the spring, “the shutdown did not slow us down,” DeCuir said. Like other dealerships, the company’s service, parts and auto body repair shops remained open.

Customer service “is how you grow the business,” DeCuir said.

The staff of between 60 and 70 employees have been retained, DeCuir said.

The transaction is not yet on file with the Recorder of Deeds. The Chevrolet dealership sits on 11.5 acres along the south side of Route 30 owned by 11250 US 30 Realty LLC, part of the GPB Automotive Portfolio of New York City, according county records. The New York City company acquired the dealership from KR-C II, which was owned by James Ross, Anthony Ross and Joanne Ross Simon, for $6.5 million in Mach 2018. KR-C operated the business under a lease agreement that was terminated last month.

“It’s nice to bring it (ownership) back to the local area,” DeCuir said.

Dealerships change hands

The GPB ownership group was being pressured by some automakers to sell its dealerships because of a change in leadership in the firm of which it owns a majority stake, Prime Automotive Group. Prime is the 11th largest dealership group in the country, according to Automotive News, an industry trade publication. GPB Automotive is part of GPB Capital Holdings of New York, which is the subject of lawsuits and ongoing federal and state investigations.

DeCuir declined to comment on the matter and a spokesperson for Capital Holdings could not be reached for comment. Two GMC spokeswomen in Detroit could not be reached for comment.

The property containing Kenny Ross Subaru was sold last month for $8.45 million by 11331 US 30 Realty LLC of New York City, also part of GPB, to North Huntingdon APA RE LLC of Miami Lakes, Fla., according to documents filed with the Recorder of Deeds office.

The Kenny Ross Mazada property on Route 30 was sold last month by 11333 US Realty 30 LLC, another GPB company, to North Huntingdon APA RE LLC for $880,000. Kenny Ross Automotive Group, operating under the name of KRAG-M, had its lease on the Mazda property terminated Sept. 10, according to documents filed with the Recorder of Deeds.

The 6.2-acre property containing the Kenny Ross Ford dealership on Route 30 in Hempfield was sold last month by Blackhill Road Realty LLC, part of GPB Automotive, for $6.58 million to Adamsburg APA RE LLC., also the same Florida address as North Huntingdon APA.

Adamsburg Realty Partners, under of the ownership of James Ross, Anthony Ross and Joanne Simon Ross, sold the Ford dealership property in March 2018 for $6.5 million, to Blackhill Road Realty, according to the deed. Adamsburg Realty then leased the property to Kenny Ross Automotive Group. That lease was terminated last month.

Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe at 724-836-5252, jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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