Lindsay Automotive Group to acquire Jack Evans Chevrolet, Inc. in Front Royal

Jack Evans Chevrolet, Inc. and the Lindsay Automotive Group based in Alexandria, Virginia have signed an agreement and submitted it to Chevrolet Motor Division for approval. Closing on the new ownership is expected to commence in 45 to 75 days.

John started working at the dealership for his father, Jack Evans, when they opened their doors on August 1, 1975, and has been the Dealer Operator since 1991.

“It’s been a great run!” stated John W. Evans IV, Jack Evans’ company President. Growing up in Hagerstown, Maryland in the ’50s and 60s when his father worked as a Sales Manager at Hoffman Chevrolet, it was easy to catch the “car crazy” bug. “It’s hard to not get excited with Corvettes, Chevelles, and Camaros all-around” said Evans. “If a school classmate’s father drove a Ford, we had issues.”

In 1975, John’s parents, Jack and Vonnie, with his sister Pat, sold their house and about everything else to move to Front Royal and purchase their own Chevrolet dealership. Being 21 and always dreaming of becoming a Chevrolet dealer someday, John jumped on board and started washing cars, running parts, and being the company” gopher” (go for this and go for that). In 1981, he graduated from General Motors College of Dealership Management sales school and became the Sales Manager. In the fall of 1991, he took over as Dealer when his father retired. “Dad had a great vision, treat the customer right, and they will come back. Customer loyalty was the key to our success, and I never strayed from that basic principle, “said Evans.

Now 66, John felt the pressure of trying to stay competitive with larger dealers and their benefits in marketing, centralized systems, and the synergy of having other stores to share major expenses and inventory. “It’s time for me to move aside and take care of some of my bucket list items,” he said. He has always enjoyed drag racing. “I was never interested in sports in school, but racing was something I was fairly good at.” He was recently offered a “COPO” Camaro factory race car from Chevrolet and plans to compete in the NHRA Stock Eliminator Circuit starting this fall.

“I am very excited to see my employees grow and prosper as this new dealership assimilates in our community,” John said. “The Lindsay organization also has a “family” employee atmosphere just like us, and I’m confident my team will fit in just fine.”

Lindsay Automotive Group is based in Alexandria, Virginia, and has 13 franchises in two states. Their Standalone Cadillac Dealership in Alexandria was founded in 1963, and their Woodbridge, Virginia Chevrolet store is one of the highest volume Chevrolet outlets in the Washington DC Zone, covering DC, Maryland, parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania.

“It’s been a great ride and I appreciate our customer base and employees that have been there with me. Now that baton will pass to a new family name with a familiar address. Thank you all for the support and welcome Lindsay Automotive Group, said Evans.