Fedor dealership's future hazy, likely closing

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

EASTHAMPTON - The Fedor Pontiac Dealership on Northampton Street is preparing to close for good, according to Charlie Fedor, a lifelong East Street resident who has owned and operated the business since 1948.

Although Fedor was happy to report that business has been booming in the dealership's service department, he said General Motor's decision to discontinue the Oldsmobile line in 2004 and then Pontiac in 2009 spells the end of a business that dates back more than 60 years.

"It's hard to give you a completely honest answer as to when we are going to close our dealership side, because it is awful to say, but right now we are going on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis," Fedor, 84, said.

Despite an increase in the number of cars rolling into the dealership's service stations, Fedor said the decision to close the sales department was unavoidable.

"Business on our service side is fantastic, and it has been unbelievable to see how many people come in and spend money to keep their older model cars on the road." Fedor said. "But you just can't support a large facility like ours without a franchise, and switching to a foreign car franchise just wasn't something we were looking into."

As for the future of the building itself and the prospect of luring a new business to the location, Fedor said no decision has yet been made.

Mayor Michael Tautznik expressed disappointment about Fedor's impending closure.

"It just goes to show how hard hit the auto industry was by this recession, and although some officials have said that the recession is over, folks out there still aren't comfortable and are reluctant to spend," Tautznik said.

He noted that the business is situated in a location that could be desirable to another type of business, if not a car dealership. He said car dealerships located near other dealers have become more desirable.

"The industry seems to be trending toward having dealers in close proximity with each other like you see in the way dealerships have been built on Riverdale Road in West Springfield and King Street in Northampton," Tautznik said. "It seems that manufacturers want to get their dealerships situated so that a buyer will be exposed to everybody at once, and so I don't know if this location would be targeted for another automobile dealership."

Meanwhile, Fedor, who works at the dealership full-time, said for the time being he will continue doing the job he has loved all his life. "I still work every day, and I am going to continue working and pleasing all of those people who have been loyal to me for all these years," Fedor said.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com