The Priority Auto Group has sold its Kia store in Colonial Heights after two years to Charlottesville-based Carter Myers Automotive, which is building a new location for the franchise along Interstate 95 in southern Chesterfield County.
Dennis Ellmer, president and CEO of Chesapeake-based Priority, said he was forced to sell the Kia franchise because the lease on the dealership's building on Charles H. Dimmock Parkway in Colonial Heights expires in August. He has no place to move it.
"Unfortunately the decision had to be made," he said.
Priority Kia has been renamed Colonial Kia.
The deal was finalized last week. Details of the sale were not disclosed.
Ellmer's group first bought the Kia franchise, along with a Nissan franchise, in December 2009 from the Dominion Auto Group. Priority moved the Nissan franchise to its current home off I-95 near the Ruffin Mill Road exit, but decided to keep Kia in Colonial Heights.
Carter Myers Automotive is currently building a store for Kia next to its Gateway Hyundai dealership off I-95, also near the Ruffin Mill Road exit, Ellmer said. Carter Myers Automotive's Colonial Honda is next door.
Also near those dealerships are the ones operated by Priority — Nissan, Volkswagen and Toyota.
Myers, whose company also owns Heritage Chevrolet in the Richmond market and dealerships in Charlottesville and Staunton, did not respond to a messages Monday.
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