Key Auto shuts down in York: ‘Now we’ve got no auto dealers’
YORK, Maine — A longtime car dealership announced Tuesday it is vacating its Route 1 location, leaving locals dismayed about one less business running in the heart of York.
“We’ve moved to: Key Acura of Portsmouth,” reads the sign on the door at Key Auto of York, previously named Starkey Ford. It was the first time in decades that cars were not for sale at the business previously owned by the Starkey family for 63 years.
Management at Key Auto, which owns several locations in the region, did not return a call Wednesday. The York dealership was purchased by Key Auto from the Starkey family in 2018. The franchise was bought back by Ford last year, and the dealership reverted strictly to selling used cars.
The closure led to more than 90 comments on the “York Community Dialogue (Maine)” Facebook page. Many wrote they were caught off guard by the news.
“So what about us with the warranty through them,” asked Ashley Charnock in the thread. Charnock, who works at York Hospital, said she liked the convenience of dropping off her husband’s truck in town.
Rob Berry, who worked at the dealership for almost 41 years, said he has lost his job but is still communicating with customers about their pending orders. He said he got a call Tuesday morning and was told, “Look, come on in, they just closed the doors.” The notice came as a complete surprise to Berry.
“They never said a word to any of us,”
Berry said. “They never said a word to me.”
Dealership a longtime staple of Route 1 York
In 1958 Gerald and Dorothy Starkey purchased Dale Motors in York at 422 US Route 1. Gerald Starkey, nicknamed “Ged,” spent the next five decades involved with the business with his sons Douglas and David, according to his obituary from 2010.
Over the years, the business became a big part of the community. Starkey Ford helped raise money for York High School students, including collaborating on booster drives.
Locals said it was good to have a dealership in town that could work on vehicles and provide inspection stickers without leaving town.
“Starkey Ford was a big part of the community from the 1950s to probably 2018,” Selectboard member Mike Estes said.
That year, 2018, was when Key Auto purchased the dealership from the Starkey family. The auto group is owned by developer Anthony DiLorenzo, who last year was the high bidder for the McIntyre property in Portsmouth for $9 million.
The general manager at the time of the transition, Steve Houghton, said the team would remain the same as it was under Starkey. The purchase by Key gave hope that the dealership would become even more successful.
“The new ownership will allow us to be one of the most competitive Ford dealers in New England,” Houghton told Seacoastonline at the time.
Dealership closes after sale to Key Auto
Houghton eventually left the Key dealership in York. He declined to comment when reached Wednesday on the transition the business made from being a Ford franchise to becoming an unaffiliated used car dealer.
Berry said he was not involved with the transition, but Ford bought the franchise from Key Auto on Feb. 28, 2023. His understanding was that Key Auto had the option to sell the franchise to Ford, or undergo expensive changes to meet the car company’s requirements for franchises.
When Ford left, he said Key Auto of York saw significant changes that impacted the business. For one, he said, the certified Ford technicians left for other jobs, dropping their number of technicians from eight down to three.
“Which made it very difficult to service people,” Berry said.
The loss of new Ford vehicles in their inventory meant a drop in revenue, he said.
After Ford bought the franchise back, Berry said the only inventory they could sell was bought by the Key Auto Group.
“Obviously, things went downhill,” Berry said.
York after Key Auto closure
Now that the dealership is gone, Estes said York has one less car dealership in town and one less place to get an inspection sticker.
“We’ve lost Bournival. We’ve lost Starkey Ford,” Estes said. “Now we’ve got no auto dealers.”
David Woods, who owns several local businesses, including York Oil and Propane, agreed losing a local dealership was disappointing for York.
Woods said a bigger problem for businesses, in general, is the challenge of maintaining local support.
“At quarter of 5 in the evening, when you need a part, where are you going to go?” Woods said. “If you don’t support Eldridge Lumber, Eldridge will eventually disappear.”
Berry said he is not angry with the closure. He enjoyed working at the dealership and getting to know loyal customers and team members.
“Key treated me great, with most respect,” Berry said. “I got no complaints. It’s unfortunate they ended up closing, but you know, that happens all over the country.”