Located in the town of Gander, Newfoundlanders have been purchasing used vehicles from Jerry’s Car Sales for nearly 50 years. What started with a small trailer office and three cars has grown into a multi-generational family business offering a wide selection of pre-owned vehicles. Currently owned and operated by the second generation, there appears to be a long road ahead for this small-town business.

Getting on the road

The beginning of Jerry’s Car Sales dates back to 1978, when the husband and wife team of Jerry and Vi Tucker decided they wanted to create their own business. Jerry had a long history of working at car dealerships, so car sales seemed to be a natural fit. Together, they acquired a small travel trailer for office space and set up behind a family-owned gas station in Gander, Newfoundland. Named after Jerry, the used car dealership started with three cars for sale on its lot.

Since then, Jerry’s Car Sales has become a trusted name across the island, and ownership has been passed down through the family.

Gaining traction

In the early days, Jerry and Vi slowly grew the business. If needed, Jerry drove a car to a nearby town to make a sale and then hitchhiked back home. Eventually, they outgrew their trailer and transitioned to larger buildings and sales lots so as to showcase their expanding inventory of pre-owned vehicles. As operations took shape, Jerry’s brothers joined the business to help drive the next stage of growth.

Meanwhile, Jerry and Vi’s son and daughter, Zane and Sonia, grew up around the family business. Zane said he remembers taking the train with his dad and sister to check out car shipments at a young age. In high school, he and his sister worked at the dealership during school breaks, picking up cars and detailing new inventory. After completing their university education, both Zane and Sonia returned to the family business and took over ownership around 2013.

Comparing current operations to previous decades, Zane said technology has had a major impact. Instead of flying to car auctions on the mainland, they’re able to attend online and arrange shipping from their office. It has also improved customer communication and allows customers to shop their inventory online. Some customers now purchase cars without having to set foot on their lot. This has helped further expand the company’s reach; Jerry’s Car Sales sells and ships vehicles across the entire island.

Long road ahead

Today, Jerry’s Car Sales offers a wide selection of about 140 pre-owned vehicles at its dealership in Gander, N.L. Zane and Sonia continue to represent the second generation as owners and operators of the family business, along with a small team of about 10 employees.

Zane said his favourite part of the job is building customer relationships. “We have a lot of repeat customers, and it’s especially rewarding to see generations of families continuing to shop with us.”

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