Brewley Cadilac closing press release
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Transcript of Brewley Cadilac closing press release
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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott Allen
Tel: 626-966-7441
Email: [email protected]
Bewley Allen Cadillac Closes its Doors
Alhambra, CA – July 16, 2012 – After 74 years in the automotive business, Bewley
Allen Cadillac is closing its doors, effective today July 16.
“We extend a heartfelt and sincere thank you to the people of Bewley Allen Cadillac
for their dedicated service over these many years and to the customers and
community we have had the privilege to serve,” said John Allen, chairman.
“We will consolidate operations with our West Covina dealership, Crestview
Cadillac,” said Scott Allen, president.
Over the years, Bewley Allen Cadillac has been recognized for it’s high performance
in sales and service. Bewley Allen Cadillac is a proud 23-time winner of the Cadillac
Master Dealer award and earned the highest customer satisfaction score (CSI) of all
Cadillac dealers in 2007.
“We welcome and encourage our customers to visit Crestview Cadillac for their
sales and service needs. Our goal is to continue providing the exceptional level of
service you have come to expect,” stated Ted Hwang, partner and general manager.
Both Scott Allen and Ted Hwang jointly operate Crestview Cadillac, also a multi-year
recipient of Cadillac’s Master Dealer award.
Bewley Allen founded Bewley Allen Cadillac in October 1938 as an independently
owned, Cadillac-Pontiac dealership located at 354 E. Main St., Alhambra, California.
This was the Alfred Sloan era of General Motors when the Cadillac division produced
five highly styled models of vehicles with 8, 12 or 16 cylinder engines.
The end of 1941 brought war to the United Stated, forcing a shift of automobile
production to war materiel. With no new vehicles to sell and few to service, Bewley
Allen responded to a request by California Institute of Technology to help develop
rocket-propelled munitions under the US Navy contract OEMsr-418. Employees of
the dealership as well as off-duty police and fire fighters worked in a secret, 24 hour
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machine shop behind the dealership service department producing hundreds of
prototype rockets test-fired in Eaton Canyon north of Pasadena, California. The
project evolved into the Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake which today
continues as Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake. Bewley Allen and his staff
were presented with the Navy Bureau of Ordnance Award of Excellence in 1945.
At the conclusion of the war, General Motors reverted production to automobiles
and Bewley Allen Cadillac moved east to its current location at 801 E. Main St. Post-
war demand was strong for the luxury vehicle and in 1951 the decision was made to
drop the Pontiac franchise and focus exclusively on the Cadillac customer.
In 1963, Bewley’s son, John B. Allen, became the second-generation dealer to
operate the business. This was a prosperous time for Bewley Allen Cadillac and the
dealership was a leader in sales of Cadillac motor vehicles. The facility was
remodeled to include a state-of-the-art body shop and expand the capacity to
service their growing Cadillac family.
Tough times were to come throughout the 1970’s with oil embargos, high inflation,
recessions and the switch from large vehicles to small, fuel-efficient models, but the
dealership weathered the economic storms and struggled to survive.
Ted Hwang, a Taiwanese immigrant, joined the dealership as a salesman in 1982.
Ted was at the front of a continuing wave of Taiwanese and Chinese immigrants to
the Alhambra area. Today he is a partner in the Allen family’s automobile
operations and provides an important conduit into a diverse culture.
In 1992, Scott Allen, son of John Allen and grandson of Bewley Allen became the
third-generation operator of the business.
Bewley Allen passed away peacefully in 1984 at age 85 in his home on Balboa
Island, leaving two children, eight grandchildren and a wonderful legacy.
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