Alan Birman, who for the past more than two years served as general manger for Cloquet Ford Chrysler Center, this month purchased the business from Peter L. Nelson, who is retiring from the auto industry.
Birman purchased the business with his wife Renee Birman, after watching as sales have only been increasing, despite the economic downturn.
"We're actually doing very, very well," Birman said Wednesday. "We're solvent. We're strong."
If it weren't so, Birman said he wouldn't have plunged ahead with buying the business.
He attributed the steady business to Cloquet being at least partly insulated from the national economic downturn.
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Currently the dealership employs 35 people, Birman said, and he immediately plans to hire more mechanics so the repair department can remain open Saturdays, not just weekdays.
Birman, who's been working for dealerships in the Twin Ports region since 1984, said the goal all along with taking a job at the Cloquet dealership was to ultimately buy it.
He and his wife anticipated working for Nelson for more than eight years, before buying the business. But things fell into place earlier, he said.
He also thinks things at his dealership are good, because regardless of people hearing that no one wants trucks or SUV's, people will still buy what they need.
"People are going to hear what they hear, but they need what they need."
Right now, he said, he can't even keep up with the demand for trucks.
