Wakefield Automotive, Inc

About

In 1945 J W Wakefield moved to Spartanburg from Columbia to reopen the Buick franchise which was closed during WWII . GM had closed many dealerships at that time because there were not enough cars to go around as all the factories had been retooled for the war effort. With him came his partner and son Bill. Together they began what is now the oldest dealership in Spartanburg. Over the years, a Jeep, Opel and a DeLorean franchise were added yet later sold. The markets were up and down but Buicks were their mainstay. By the mid 50s, they had grown into a household name, and by the 70s their market share grew to almost 1 of every 5 cars sold. In 1956, Bill took the helm and has been an exemplary leader for many years. He was even named a Time Magazine Quality Dealer of the Year nominee in 1997.