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 OUZTS
CHEVROLET COMPANY INC., has served the automotive needs
of Northeast Georgia for the past sixty years. From a background
of grocery store ownership and management of an Amoco Service
Station in Winder, J. Guy Ouzts(1905-l984) was awarded the
General Motors Chevrolet Franchised Dealership in 1939.
It was a real struggle for Mr. Ouzts and his one employee,
Mr. Jack House, to keep the dealership operational during
those first years. The "war years" were a very
hard time for everyone but especially so for a beginning
business that was very much affected by the stringent gasoline
rationing and the fact that virtually no new cars were available
because of the restrictions on supplies and materials due
to World War II. Mr. Ouzts often recounted that he had a
long waiting list of people needing cars during those years
but first priority was given to Doctors in the area when
they needed transportation or tires so that they could continue
to minister to the sick of the communities. It was not unusual
for Mr. Ouzts to accept bales of hay, produce, and even
a pony in partial payment for purchases of services needed
by customers of the dealership. As a result of many, many
long hours of hard work and outstanding management, Ouzts
Chevrolet Company survived this difficult time and then
began to flourish.
In 1952 Mr. Ouzts secured the Oldsmobile franchise and Ouzts
Chevrolet Company became Ouzts Chevrolet-Olds in Winder.
During his active years in the dealership Mr. Ouzts received
many sales achievement awards from both Chevrolet and Oldsmobile
but he was most proud of being the first dealer in the United
States to receive the Eisenhower Committee on Employment
of the Physically Handicapped Award of Merit. Mr. Ouzts
was also very active in community and civic affairs in Winder
serving seven years on the City Council and two terms as
Mayor of the City of Winder.
In 1954 Mr. Ouzts' son, A. Lamar "'Buddy" Ouzts
joined the work force at Ouzts Chevrolet Company. Buddy
served as Service Manager, Parts Manager, Sales Manager,
General Manager and at the death of his Father in 1984 became
the owner and President of the company, a position that
he still holds today. |
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770-867-3151
