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DEMMER, Continued from page 3 “I believe that we will still be
owned by the Demmer family—just
When the economy is good, we’re a different generation,” says Jim,
able to be more generous and assist whose favorite car in Ford’s line-up
the organizations around us. But is the Mustang. In fact, Jim still re-
when the economy sours, and it’s re- members when his father brought
ally hard, I’ve witnessed people com- one home for the first time. “And I
ing back and doing business with us believe that we’ll have a combination
because we helped them—and they of electric, hybrid, and internal com-
wanted to help us.” bustion vehicles that we’ll be selling
Yes, good ethics and a “pay it for- and servicing.”
ward” approach are two corner- But, for now, the focus remains
stones that will serve any business on doing what’s always been done:
well—and that will likely never making their customers happy.
change. What is always in a constant There’s a specific name for the com-
state of evolution, however, is the au- pany’s approach, in fact. The family
tomotive industry itself. calls it “The Demmer Difference.”
“We’ve had to adapt to the selling “It is personalized attention,” says
and servicing of vehicles in a variety Jim, who married his wife, Linda, in
of ways through the years,” says Jim. 1986. The couple, who recently cele-
“And the current supply chain issues brated 35 years of marriage, has
have made it impossible for us to four grown children.
have the inventory we used to carry, “We care about people, we’re
but we have been able to take—and proud to have our name on the build-
fill—customer orders, and people The first Mustang ever sold by Demmer Ford. This car was purchased April 19, 1964 ing, and we deal with customers in
are able to get exactly what they by Mrs. Barbara Wallace. Jack Demmer is on the Left, salesman Skip Anderson on such a manner that they want to
want.” come back again. And they want to
Jim goes on to say that although the right. Photo Wayne Historical Society send their family and friends to do
the wait is slightly longer than it Ford is ready. business will look 10, or even 20 business with us, too.”
used to be, everything is coming to- “The brand will be represented by years down the line, Jim is quite op- A business model like that makes
gether. “People behind the scenes at our dealer crew, and it’s likely we’ll timistic. all the difference, indeed.
Ford are really working hard to get have salespeople manning the Ford
every vehicle built that they possibly display,” says Jim, who remembers
can—and into customers’ hands,” he grabbing a brochure from every car
says. display when his dad would take
And that, of course, includes both him to auto shows when he was a
hybrid and electric vehicles. young boy. “This year’s show will be
“We’ve been selling hybrid vehi- different because it won’t just be an
cles for about 15 years,” says Jim. indoor display; they’re going to use
“Those are vehicles that have a gas outside, more experiential type of
engine and electric motor and batter- events, including driving demonstra-
ies—and people are very satisfied tions and test-drive opportunities.”
with those. And they’re very practi- But even before the NAIAS,
cal.” there’s something else to look for-
Ford’s all-electric offerings in- ward to.
clude the Mustang Mach-E, which, This month, on Saturday, July 9,
according to Auto Blog, is a well-exe- Cruisin’ US12 returns to Michigan
cuted EV with compelling perform- Avenue from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.
ance and character and draws here in Wayne, and, true to form,
inspiration from the general concept Jack Demmer Ford will put its very
and styling cues of its iconic name- own spin on the festivities with The
sake and then applies it to a more Pit Stop Car Show from 10 a.m.
practical and popular body style. until 2 p.m. in the Jack Demmer
And soon the company will de- Ford parking lot.
liver the all-electric Ford Lightening “Because Cruising Michigan Av-
F-150. enue is a cruising kind of event, [The
Speaking of the future, there’s no Pit Stop Car Show] is a show where
greater place for car lovers to catch people can come and go, which is
a glimpse than the North American why we call it a pit stop,” says Jim.
International Auto Show (NAIAS), “We’ll have music, there’ll be food
which makes its return to the Motor trucks on site, and we always get a
City following a two-year hiatus. The good turn out.”
event will take place from September There is no doubt about it, this is
17-25 at downtown Detroit’s Hunt- an exciting time for the Demmer
ington Place (formerly known as brand. And the family welcomes the
TCF Center). And Jack Demmer road ahead. When asked how the
4 · July 2022 · The Wayne Dispatch