Plans are in the works to put a used car dealership on the Southeast Subaru/Southeast Autoplex lot on Florida Boulevard. An undisclosed dealer has a purchase agreement on the property near Sherwood Forest Boulevard, owner Vincent Garafola says. Southeast shut down the lot at the end of 2008. The company had been operating at the spot for 15 years and selling Subarus there since 2004.
Garafola says his Baton Rouge car dealership was a victim of the difficulties in getting financing for vehicles. “There was no doubt that there was less traffic going into the dealership,” Garafola says. “And then the lending we were doing was cut in half.” Garafola says he decided to concentrate on his Hammond dealership. “If we knew when the recession was going to end, we might try and stick it out with both dealerships,” he says. About 20 people worked at Southeast Subaru/Southeast Autoplex; some were offered jobs in Hammond. The employees who didn’t go to the other lot were able to find jobs, Garafola says. Subaru is looking at putting another franchise in Baton Rouge.—Timothy Boone
