A longtime Bradford automobile business will “keep it in the
family” for the foreseeable future.
Tom Colwell, grandson of Rink Bros. Garage owner Raymond R.
Rink, is taking over as the company’s new sales manager.
“I grew up with it and around it my whole life, and I like
cars,” Colwell said.
“I’m kind of a car collector myself, and just (have) a passion
for cars, really.”
Colwell, who graduated in 2005 with a business management degree
from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, is taking over for
Bruce Sherwin, who retired last December.
“I handle everything on the sales, new car and used car aspect,
and I have to know some financing,” he said. “My grandfather’s the
dealer; he handles the shop and runs things.”
Rink, now 91, is still in control of the company, but his
grandson will assist him and Rink wanted the public to be aware of
the change, according to Sandy McDonald, office finance
manager.
“Ray’s brother (Paul) died in 1995, so he’s been running it
basically alone,” McDonald said.
Paul and Raymond Rink started at 900 E. Main St. in April of
1939, when the Rinks obtained a DeSoto-Plymouth franchise. They
made out a new-car order for five new DeSotos and Plymouths and the
business has sold dozens of thousands of cars since.
“He’s the (longest-serving) Chrysler dealership in the United
States and, I believe, the world,” McDonald said.
“There have been a lot of dealerships that have been in one
place, but they’ve had several (different) owners.”
Colwell would like to continue that stability and follow in his
grandfather’s footsteps. However, he has plans to further the Rink
business with new ideas.
“I’ll just try to basically modernize the dealership and bring
it up to date and get the ball rolling,” Colwell said.
He hopes to balance the Rink Bros. Garage environment by
“keeping the old-school feel, but (adding) new, modern things.”
With plans to stay at the company for a while, Colwell wants to
continue what his family started years ago.
“I hope to move everything towards a positive future,” he
said.
