JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville Motor Co. officially marked 100 years in business on June 21, 2023 with a celebration at the dealership from 4 to 6 p.m. The Ford dealership and service center has been family owned and operated across three generations since it was founded a century ago.
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The company’s 100th birthday drew a large crowd of support from the local community during the celebration on Wednesday. The event featured an ice cream truck, live musical entertainment, food, drinks, and lots of memorabilia from the dealership’s 100-year history.
John Dwyer with the dealership’s Sales Department said he’s been looking forward to this day for several years.
“It’s hard for me to fathom,” Dwyer said of reaching the milestone. “I started here 18 years ago and this is a date that I’ve looked forward to since the day that I started, and I can’t believe it’s here. It’s been a lot of hard work from a lot of generations, so it’s exciting.”
He added that he appreciates the support the company has received from the Jerseyville community, and noted you don’t often see family owned businesses reach the 100-year mark.
“The local community being as supportive as they are, and the hard-working, long-tenured employees we’ve had here - without them, none of this would be possible,” he said.
Owner David Dwyer was also present at the event, and agreed the company could not have gotten this far without its hard-working employees. He added that keeping the company ownership within the family is a tradition he set out to carry on when he became the owner.
Jerseyville Motor Co. was founded in 1923 by R. Leo Smith and first opened at its original location at 301 N. State St. Smith passed the business on to Matt Dwyer, his son-in-law, who ran the company before he retired in the 1980s. The dealership moved to its current location at 1205 S. State St. in 1983.
After Matt’s retirement, his son David Dwyer took ownership of the business and remains the current owner today. David’s son, John, also currently works in the company’s Sales Department.
Jerseyville Motor Co. is one of Jersey County’s largest privately-owned employers with 22 total employees. The company has received multiple Ford President's Awards from the Ford Motor Company, which recognizes dealerships that have achieved the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
To find out more about Jerseyville Motor Co., visit their website or Facebook page.
