Van Horn Automotive Group, Plymouth, has acquired David Hobbs Honda, Glendale.
It is Van Horn’s first Honda dealership and its first location in metro Milwaukee. According to a press release, Van Horn plans to increase the pre-owned vehicle selection by 200 units immediately and build a new Honda facility in the next three years.
“We’ve been looking for an opportunity to enter the Milwaukee market and expand our customer base,” said Jeff Niesen, president of Van Horn Automotive Group. “We’ve been selling vehicles to the Milwaukee area for a number of years but haven’t had a dealership point to service those vehicles.”
The deal marks the end of three decades in business for David Hobbs Honda, which was founded in 1987 by David Hobbs and most recently operated by his son, Greg Hobbs. The elder Hobbs fell in love with the Milwaukee area while spending time racing in Wisconsin during the 1960s, and his passion for driving Honda vehicles later turned into a business opportunity.
“Closing the doors of David Hobbs Honda after 35 years of dedication to our employees and community is extremely difficult for the Hobbs family,” said Greg Hobbs, who served as managing director. “However, knowing the Van Horn family, their dedication to the employees and the community, makes it a lot easier and so the Hobbs family is proud to hand over the keys.”
Van Horn Honda of Glendale will build upon David Hobbs Honda’s partnership with Milwaukee-based Horizon Home Care and Hospice Meals on Wheels program by donating $100 for every vehicle sold from March 8 through April 8.
“We currently support Fresh Meals on Wheels of Sheboygan County, so this was an easy decision to continue to support in the Milwaukee area. It’s another example of how the values of Hobbs and Van Horn align,” said Ryan Thiel, marketing director of Van Horn Automotive Group.
Van Horn now has 17 dealership locations and more than 750 employees in Wisconsin and Iowa.
The purchase of David Hobbs Honda is Van Horn’s sixth acquisition in as many years. In March 2022, the company increased its Employee Stock Ownership Plan from 30% to 77%.
The company was originally founded in 1966 by Joe Van Horn as a single Chevrolet dealership. In addition to its automotive dealerships, Van Horn operates a finance company, a rental vehicle division and a wholesale financial products company.
