Ownership shift
Melloy Auto Group to take reins, sees area as ‘ fantastic market’
Melloy Auto Group purchases Los Lunas-based Brad Francis Automotive Group
One of Valencia County’s oldest auto dealerships is expected to change hands next week.
After 18 years, Brad Francis, owner of Brad Francis Automotive Group, has decided to sell the group to Melloy Auto Group of Albuquerque, a deal targeted to close next week.
“I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to my employees, my customers and the community,” Francis said. “Together we have been able to make thousands of automotive dreams come true.”
For Melloy, the purchase is a bit of a homecoming, said Melloy Auto Group owner Pat Melloy. He said his father and uncle owned a Studebaker dealership in Belen in the late 1950s.
“We’ve been looking at Los Lunas for years and always thought it would be a fantastic market,” Melloy said. “With Brad Francis, nowhere else in New Mexico can you shop all three American brands — Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler Dodge Ram — in one location.”
Both Francis and Melloy said the purchase price is confidential, but does include all the inventory, assets, equipment and parts.
Any current employees of Brad Francis who want to stay are welcome, Melloy said.
“We plan on keeping most of his people. They’ve done a great job,” he said. “We will keep all the employees who want to stay with us. We are looking forward to being part of the community.”
In Farmington, Melloy Auto Group has Advantage Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Jeep, Fiat as well as a Honda store. In Albuquerque, the company owns Fiat of Albuquerque, Alfa Romeo of Albuquerque, Melloy Dodge and Melloy Nissan. In addition, there are two Auto Max Truck and Car centers, one in Albuquerque and a second in Farmington, which specializes in used Dodge, Toyota, Chevrolet, Jeep and Ford vehicles.
A third-generation “car guy,” Francis has owned and operated his Los Lunas dealership since 2000. Both his grandfather and father owned Chevrolet dealerships in St. Louis, Mo., and in the early 1980s, his father sold his and moved to Roswell with his then 19-year-old son.
In 1987, his father sold the dealership and Francis moved to Albuquerque, where he went to work for Ken Johns for 14 years as his general manager.
In 2000, Francis partnered with Larry Miller to buy Casey Luna Ford and Chevrolet in Belen. The following year, they moved the dealership to Los Lunas.
Eight years later, Francis bought out Miller’s share of the business, and in 2012 brought in the Chrysler line after the Auge brothers in Belen let it go.
After 40-plus years in the industry, Francis says this is the right time to do something else.
“I’ve done this all my life. My legacy, my name is ending with me. My kids aren’t interested in taking this on,” he said. “This just seemed like the right time.”