A Bethel landmark has closed its doors, leaving many to wonder what will replace the Holman General Motors dealership. The satellite dealership for the Holman family dealership business closed last week after nearly 18 years of business in the community.

“Over 18 years, we’ve met and made a lot of friends with customers, and we’re going to miss them,” said owner operator Greg Holman. “We wish them well.”

Holman is closing its doors after 18 years due to the declining market share enjoyed by GM vehicle sales, said Holman. While the main Holman dealership in the Eastgate area will remain open, that location, he said, will continue to focus on trucks and mobile home sales. The closure is part of a deal with GM to improve sales for some of its franchise owners.

“In the 1950s through the 1980s, General Motors had a huge market share, over 50 percent of the business,” said Holman. “Then it started trending in the opposite direction, so now it’s down to 20 percent. Back then, the imports had only about 1 percent of the share, but now they have as much as the domestics. You have six Toyota dealerships serving Greater Cincinnati, but 32 General Motor dealerships. The six Toyota stores sell as many cars as the 32 Chevy stores. That’s not a good thing for profitability.”