CADILLAC DEALERSHIP ACQUIRES NISSAN, MOVES

One of Cape Girardeau's oldest automobile dealerships is joining the new-car crowd and moving westward.

Cape Girardeau businessman Gary G. Stanley announced Saturday that Crown Cadillac Oldsmobile has acquired the Nissan franchise. He also announced that the expanded dealership would relocated to 607 S. Kingshighway.

"We'll be operational at our new location Monday," said Stanley. "This acquisition will allow Crown Cadillac Oldsmobile Nissan to offer its customers three of the finest product lines of automobiles in the market place today, in addition to Nissan pickups and utility vehicles."

Stanley also announced the addition of Dennis Bess as service manager. Bess has more than 10 years experience in the local area, servicing automotive customers.

The Cadillac Oldsmobile dealership is the last of new-car dealerships in Cape Girardeau to move to a Kingshighway location. Ford Groves Motor Co., and Van Matre Buick moved to Kingshighway locations in 1989. Both had been located on Sprigg Street.

At that time, all new-car dealerships except Dean Taylor Cadillac Oldsmobile were located on Kingshighway locations.

Stanley purchased the Cadillac-Oldsmobile dealership, 1444 Independence, in December of 1992. Stanley previously had ownership affiliations with two other automobile dealerships, one of them in Cape Girardeau.

In 1978, Stanley, Doyle Cathey and the late Charles Lloyd acquired the local Toyota dealership, operating it until it was sold in 1983. In 1984, Stanley and Joe Cox acquired a Ford dealership in their hometown of Mammoth Spring, Ark.