MORLAN CHRYSLER BUYS FORMER SATURN PROPERTY

Former Saturn dealership property located at 374 Siemers in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

A Sikeston and Dexter based automobile company will open a Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealership at 374 Seimers in Cape Girardeau according to Tom Kelsey, Broker with Lorimont Place, Ltd who handled the recent sale of the car dealership property. The building and property located next to Sears housed the former Saturn dealership that closed at the first of this year.

Morlan Chrysler plans to open a Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealership inside the former Cape Girardeau Saturn facility to serve north Scott County, Cape Girardeau and Jackson areas with an anticipated opening in early October.  The new dealership will offer between 125 and 150 new and 100 used vehicles when it opens.

John Morlan, a partner with Morlan Auto Group, said his corporation is pleased about expanding into the Cape Girardeau market. They presently have a total of five dealerships, including a general motors dealership in Dexter, Missouri and two dealerships in Sikeston, Missouri including a Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep operation and General Motors agency.

Kelsey said he understood that the buyer intended extensive remodeling of the existing Saturn building including modifications to include a Chrysler prototype design and expanding the service department from five to 21 stalls.  No announcement was made regarding new jobs in the automobile agency, but several were anticipated.

John Morlan, who already is a Cape Girardeau resident responded that "We're obviously excited about what lies ahead, since this is a good town and a good market "In our other markets we had a few thousand people, so coming to a market with 50,000 people in Cape Girardeau and Jackson is a big plus. We're blessed to be here."

Morlan said the dealership likely will begin receiving its first shipment of Chryslers in late September.  "If you don't have a good service department, you won't have strong sales," Morlan said. "People will more than likely buy their cars somewhere else the next time if you don't have somewhere for them to return for maintenance."

Tom Kelsey, who handled the real estate transaction, said the highest and best use of the 13,620 square-foot building on 3.38 acres with interstate visibility was another new car dealership.  Since it was surrounded by other car dealerships, it certainly was no surprise that Chrysler was interested in acquiring the property. No sales price was disclosed but the Lorimont website indicated an asking price of $2,300,000.  The property, owned by Jim Butler in St. Louis, Missouri had been available since early spring according to the Lorimont broker.