InTouch with Southern Kentucky August 2020 | Page 16

JARROD MILLS I TIMES TRIBUNE
Above: The first Don Franklin dealership was founded over 50-years ago in Columbia, Kentucky.
Below: The Don Franklin Family of Dealerships includes over 20 car dealerships in the state of Kentucky.
Car Sales prosper in the Pandemic
BY JARROD MILLS
TIMES TRIBUNE
CORBIN, Ky. — In the two months since
being able to reopen their showroom
doors, several car dealerships in
southeastern Kentucky have experienced
a significant increase in the number of
vehicles they’ve sold.
“It’s been pretty good,” said Larry
Gambrel, owner of Gambrel Toyota in
Corbin. “We went through a time there
where you didn’t see very much. I think
it’s like anything else, there was some
pent-up demand right off the bat in May
and June.”
The same can be said for London’s Don
Franklin Auto, where General Manager
Chase Thompson says the car lot has had
record setting months in May and June,
and that his team was on pace to set
monthly sales records again in July.
“We still had our service parts
department open,” Thompson said on
before being able to reopen his showroom.
“We were able to sustain a decent amount
of business, all while staying safe at the
same time, trying to keep our employees
safe as well. I was proud of how our
employees and our customers reacted to
that challenging time.”
16 • In Touch with Southern Kentucky AUGUST 2020