Wilson County Chevrolet - Buick - GMC
1310 West Main Street Lebanon, TN 37087-3210Sales: 615.257.1498
- Service: 615.257.0223
- Parts: 615.257.0223
Print
History of Wilson County Chevrolet - Buick - GMC
Wilson County Motors was founded in 1927 on South Maple Street, just one block from the public square. In 1964, we moved to West Main Street. Despite a fire in parts of the building in 1975, we have continued to grow and prosper.Mr. Winstead P. Bone, Jr., in partnership with Mr. A. W. Hooker, founded Wilson County Motors and envisioned the dynamic growth and progress experienced by our community. Their ethical business practices and sense of community leadership worked hand-in-hand building the success and progress we now enjoy. Other partners in the dealership have been Mr. Dee Manning, Mr. Sam Hopkins, Mr. Mort Harkey, and Mr. Dan Denney. They all supported the company's goals of ethical leadership. Over the years, the Wilson County Motors sold Plymouth and Oldsmobile, as well as current makes: Chevrolet, Buick and GMC.
Originally, the dealership was located on South Maple Street where it survived fire, flood, war, and depression. In 1933, in the heart of the Depression the total profit for the year was just a little over $400. While there, it survived a major fire and several floods from Town Creek. One of the pictures in the Chevy store shows Frances Anderson in a rowboat on South Maple Street in about 1950. The dealership moved to its current location at 1310 West Main Street in 1964. Since then, we had a major fire in 1975.
In the 1940s, there were few cars to sell because of the war. Wilson County Motors became one of the largest parts sellers in the nation moving over $100,000 in parts every month. This continued until the late fifties when independent parts houses began to open. By then, however, there were plenty of hot cars to sell and parts were less of a factor.
The founder, W. P. Bone, Jr. retired in 1977. Dan Denney began his career in 1952, W. P. Bone, III began as a teenager, bought into the business in 1969. Rockie Williams joined Wilson County in 1991. Other long-term employees include James Petty (1964), Frances Anderson (1947), Sheree Griffin (1972), and Donny Bentley (1978).
Wilson County Motors has been among the top Chevy Dealers in the South and is one of largest volume used car dealers in Middle Tennessee. In 2004, Wilson County Motors received the Tennessee American Business Ethics Award and went on to win the American Business Ethics Award in the small company division. This is a national recognition program for companies with a strong, demonstrated commitment to ethics. We are very proud of this recognition and the many services and sales awards that come our way, but one of the best recognitions is when one of our customers says, "You're the Greatest."
Middle Tennessee is one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. New industry and support businesses have made Nashville and the surrounding area one of the most exciting places of the future. We are in a unique position. Wilson County Motors is an established, successful business with the vision to be a part of the future of Middle Tennessee, just as it has been a part of the past. Our combination of the Chevrolet and Buick franchises puts us in a unique position to be a growing business for many years.
As our community grows, we want to make sure our business is operated on the principles that will keep pace. W.P. Bone strongly feels that our greatest assets in the future growth and progress of the Wilson County Store are our employees, our customers, and our product lineup.