HOULTON, Maine — Brothers Jerry and Dick York helped thousands of people secure quality automobiles during their time with the company their father took over back in 1968.
Yorks of Houlton will celebrate its 50th anniversary in the Shiretown in 2018. The company has yet to decide what sort of celebratory event it will hold to commemorate the historic milestone.
It was Gerard York who put the family into the automotive business when he purchased the dealership, located on Bangor Street, from the Ralph L. Berry Company in 1968. At that time, it was Aroostook County’s first Ford dealership and was one of the oldest in the country, Jerry said. At that time, the company became known as York Ford Sales.
Dick and Jerry joined the family business in 1975 and Jamie York, Dick’s son, joined the company in 2005 and together the trio has been instrumental in growing the company into one of the largest employers in Houlton today.
Dick York is co-owner of Yorks of Houlton. (Courtesy of York Family)
“I wouldn’t say it (joining the family business) was a given at all,” Jerry York said. “Dick was already out of college and working in a different job and I was fresh out of college. I really had no thoughts of coming into the business.”
The York family moved the business to the North Road, building a modern facility on a seven-acre site on U.S. Rt. 1 in 1979.
York Ford Sales became York Ford-Toyota in 1990, when Toyota awarded the company a franchise. Within 10 years of the move they added seven more franchises — including Lincoln, Mercury, Buick, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Pontiac — under the new name York’s of Houlton.
In 2004, Fresh Start Finance Company was formed as an added feature to the automobile business. Then in 2005, Dick’s son Jamie joined the business, making it three generations of Yorks under the roof.
In the fall of 2008, a major renovation/addition project added 14,000 square feet of service area and office space. In addition, they renovated 8,000 square feet for offices and showroom areas.
In 2009, York’s of Houlton earned Business of the Year honors from the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce and won the Toyota President’s Award. In the area of community service, Jerry York served as a board member of Houlton Regional Hospital from 2002 to 2012, serving as its chairman from 2009 to 2011.
Today, York’s employs nearly 70 individuals at the 25,000-square-foot dealership. The company regularly has about 250 vehicles on its lot for people to choose from.
The automotive industry in Houlton has changed quite a bit over the past 50 years. When Dick and Jerry joined the company in 1975, there were seven new car dealers in Houlton. Now they are the only one. There are several used car dealers, however.
Purchasing a vehicle has also changed dramatically in recent years, thanks to the advent of the Internet.
Jamie York, the son of Dick York, is sales manager of Yorks of Houlton. He has been with the company since 2005. (Courtesy of York Family)
“Twenty years ago, the average dealerships closing ratio — the people who walked into a showroom and bought a car — was about one-in-five,” Jerry said. “Today, that number is probably one-in-two. People already know before they get here what they want to buy.”
“Most people have also already gone through the financing options online and know how much they are approved for,” Jamie added.
The company also now has a much larger customer base, thanks to the internet. It is not uncommon for people from around the state to purchase a vehicle over the phone. York’s will then deliver the vehicle to any customer in the state.
“Twenty years ago, that never would have happened,” Jerry said. “The internet allows for lots of competition.”
Jamie added pre-owned vehicles are the biggest movers on the web, as people have an idea of exactly what kind of used vehicle they want, with a certain set of features and miles on it.
“I would guess close to 20 percent of our sales are with customers from Bangor south,” Jamie said. “It’s a significant part of the industry today.”
The small-town atmosphere, friendly employees and deals made with a handshake and a smile, all contribute to the many long-term relationships that have developed over the years. In 50 years, generations have come through the dealership’s doors. Both men said they find nothing more pleasing than to see someone they sold their first car to stop in with a son or daughter to help them purchase their first vehicle.
Aside from selling new and pre-owned vehicles, York’s of Houlton offers full-service automotive repair and also has a collision center for body work.
“Our service department and body shop technicians are factory trained and continually take courses to stay up to date on all new models,” Jerry said. “York’s of Houlton enjoys an excellent working relationship with the manufacturers and fellow dealerships throughout the Northeast.”
Jerry York is co-owner of Yorks of Houlton. (Courtesy of York Family)
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- This seven-acre parcel of farmland became the home of Yorks of Houlton back in 1979. (Courtesy of York Family)
