Automotive

Roberts Buick-Pontiac latest victim of GM's cutbacks

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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Gabe Gutierrez
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LAPEER COUNTY (WJRT) -- (06/10/09)--Another Mid-Michigan car dealership is on the chopping block. Now the Lapeer community is buzzing as it prepares to lose half of its General Motors Corp. showrooms.

Roberts Buick-Pontiac appears to be the latest victim of GM's cutbacks. Roberts Buick-Pontiac is just one of four GM dealers in Lapeer County. The automaker is now getting rid of two of them.

At the Lapeer Farmer's Market, the chatter is as fresh as the fruit.

"You just hate to see local businesses shutting down," said Lapeer County's Anthony Peak.

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"It's sad to see that happen," said Linda Strasser, also of Lapeer County. "They've been here all the years that we've been here."

The newspaper headlines reveal another blow to the small town's livelihood. Roberts Buick-Pontiac, a pillar of the community for a quarter-century, is being told to "wind down."

It's all part of GM's restructuring effort. The automaker plans to shed 42 percent of its dealers by next year.

"It affects everyone," said Carol Pariseau. "It affects everyone and we're all involved."

"You just wonder where it's all going to end," Peak said. "You see all these buildings closing up and something like is only going to cause more of that."

Roberts was unavailable for comment. But he previously told the Lapeer County Press that he blames the Obama administration for forcing GM and Chrysler to shed so many dealerships.

Nearby Victor George Chevrolet got his "wind down" notice last month. Now the county is left with just two GM dealerships: Merollis Cadillac-GMC in Lapeer and Milnes-Chevrolet Pontiac in Imlay City.

"It's definitely affecting the economy around here," said the Lapeer Farmer's Market's Denise Becker.

Becker says the economy has prompted more vendors looking for extra income.

"We now accept the Michigan food stamp card here at the market and we're seeing a big increase in that because, unfortunately, as everyone's losing their jobs, they're also having to use the food stamp program," she said.

"I think what really strikes you is that this is -- as all local little towns are -- they're really a microcosm of what is happening on the national level," Pariseau said.

GM officials say that about 500 dealers have appealed the company's decision.

The Associated Press reports only about 15 to 20 of those appeals have been granted.