BUCYRUS – Chevrolet of Bucyrus is kicking plans into “gear” for its official grand opening celebration this month.

The new and used car dealership, 1885 Marion Road, is holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, Aug. 26, at 11 a.m.  But food, giveaways, and other promotions, including a four-day trip to Las Vegas, will also highlight the day’s activities.

“We plan for this to be a big to-do,” said Seth Cole, who took over as general manager of the dealership July 1.  “The whole idea for us is to get out of the stigma that we’re Mathews.  We’re not.  We’re Chevrolet of Bucyrus.”

Chevrolet of Bucyrus, formerly Mathews Chevrolet Buick, changed hands July 26, 2022.  It is now affiliated with a larger automotive group, Cole said, that also operates locations in Wooster, Mt. Vernon, Millersburg, Bedford, and Willoughby, Ohio.

“We’re a family-oriented business.  We just want to pass that along to our customers,” Cole said.  “We’re going to be catering to our customers instead of our customers being just a number.”

Although the Buick line has been dropped, the 30,000-square-foot facility still carries a full inventory of Chevy cars, trucks, and SUVs, as well as certified pre-owned vehicles, Cole said.  It is also boasting a brand-new service department.

The dealership, he said, is also trying to draw customers from the agricultural community in Crawford and surrounding counties, especially with its line of four-wheel drive trucks and cabs.  “Any truck a farmer could want we’re going to have.”

For grand opening festivities, hamburgers and hotdogs will be grilled outdoors.  In addition to the Las Vegas trip, those who stop by will have the opportunity to win tickets for both the Cleveland Guardians and Columbus Clippers games, Cole said.

For every new vehicle purchased, Cole said, the owner will get five free oil changes plus a car wash every time the vehicle is brought in for service.  “The biggest thing is we’re looking for customers trust that we’re going to do it the right way.”

Cole said the local dealership has hired a new service manager and technicians and that most of the seven sales staff are from Bucyrus.  He said the change in ownership over the last year is heralding in an era of “new beginnings, new friendships.”

“It’s no longer just a dealership.  We’re a family-oriented, community-oriented dealership,” he said.  “We’re committed to our customers.  All we ask is that they trust us.”