Ed Morse Automotive Group of Delray Seaside, Fla., one of many largest dealership teams within the nation, continued its growth within the Midwest with the acquisition of three Illinois shops in two Could transactions.

And the offers additional bolster the group’s home model retailer choices.

Ed Morse Automotive on Could 10 purchased Crowe Ford in Geneseo, Ailing., and Crowe Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram in Kewanee, Ailing., from George Koustas, Ed Morse Automotive CEO Teddy Morse stated.

The shops have been renamed Ed Morse Ford and Ed Morse Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram. Koustas stayed on as basic supervisor of each shops however has no possession stake, Morse famous.

Lower than two weeks later, Ed Morse Automotive on Could 22 purchased Motor Metropolis Chevrolet-GMC, additionally in Kewanee, from Eric Ellenberger.

The dealership beforehand had a Buick franchise, however Morse stated Ellenberger had gotten rid of the model earlier than the transaction.

That retailer was renamed Ed Morse Chevrolet-GMC.

Geneseo and Kewanee are each in northwest Illinois, close to the Iowa border. The proximity was a draw to the group, Morse stated.

“The rationale we purchased these is it tied into the shops that we already had in Iowa,” Morse advised Automotive Information, referring to the group’s shops in Muscatine and DeWitt, which it purchased in March 2022. Muscatine and DeWitt are each close to Davenport.

The brand new Geneseo and Kewanee shops are about half-hour to an hour east of Davenport, Morse famous.

“It is form of in that space,” Morse stated. “We already had a small footprint there, so this simply provides on to that.”

Since coming into Missouri in Could 2021 with the acquisition of 4 shops in two offers, Ed Morse Automotive has bought eight shops throughout Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. Its most up-to-date acquisition earlier than the Illinois offers was a Chevrolet retailer in Missouri in February.

Morse stated he did not anticipate rising so quick within the area, however he stated alternatives stored popping up.

All of the dealerships Ed Morse Automotive has bought in these states have been home manufacturers — and that is by design, Morse stated.

“In these areas within the Heartland, so to talk, domestics is the place you need to be,” Morse stated. “And particularly in these areas that are dominated by farming and agriculture, they need vans. While you’re speaking about vans, Ford, Chevy, GMC and Ram cowl the overwhelming majority of the market.”

Scott Mackie, senior vice chairman of the Midwest area for buy-sell agency Nationwide Enterprise Brokers in Irvine, Calif., dealt with the Crowe dealerships transaction.

Mark Shackelford and Paul Kechnie, companions representing Midwest and Texas areas for buy-sell agency Efficiency Brokerage Providers, additionally of Irvine, Calif., facilitated the Could 22 transaction.

Ed Morse Automotive ranks No. 52 on Automotive Information‘ most up-to-date record of the highest 150 dealership teams based mostly within the U.S., retailing 14,832 new autos in 2022.