Revell Ford In Verona, A Family Run Business For 85 Years

In 1936, just as the great depression was beginning to lift, Wesley Revell took a leap of faith.

He had worked for Ford dealerships in neighbouring communities, and decided to take his relationship with Ford to the next level by opening Revell Ford, in a former general store, on Main Street in Verona.

Ford vehicles, particularly the 8-cylinder Model 48 and the Tudor, made Ford the number one selling car company, in North America, in 1936.

But in Frontenac County there were not a lot of people who were in a position to purchase a new car in the 1930s, and the war years in the early 1940s were not much better for business, but Wesley kept the business going.

In 1946, his two sons, Harry and Glen, joined the business, and together they established the Revell reputation for trustworthiness and customer care.

Also in 1946, Wesley built a two-bay service station, establishing Revell as the full-service dealership. It has remained so until this day, selling new and used cars, and providing mechanical repairs and a body shop, all in Verona.

In the early years working for their dad, Harry and Glen, and other employees, used to have to take turns traveling to Toronto to pick up new cars and bring them back from the Ford factory on Danforth Avenue.

A lot has changed since then. Glen and Harry took over the business from their father, and when Glen retired, Harry carried on with his sons, Larry and Al, who run the business to this day.

The toughest period that the business has faced, since Larry and Al have been on board, was the recession of the 1980s.

“I remember that at the time we had only about 20 vehicles in stock at the low point. We also ran into a problem with warranties at one time. We sold a lot of extended warranties from a company that went bankrupt. Dad honoured all those warranties and we had to cover the losses. We only offer Ford warranties now.”

When Mario Crevier retired last year after 50 years with the company, culminating in a long stint as sales manager, it made Al (46 years) and Larry (44 years), the longest serving people at Revel.

“We have a lot of other experience among our staff, in addition to always bringing in new people. In every department, from sales to admin to auto technicians, there are many who have been at Revell for 25, 30, and 40 years,” said Larry Revell.

In addition to changes in the types of vehicles over time, with truck and SUV sales overtaking those of sedans and wagons in recent years, the look and feel of the business has changed over the years. In 2013, the showroom was upgraded and modernised, and the service centre has seen many changes. The body shop is now a Fix Auto shop. Just over a year ago, Revell purchased the building on the east side of Main Street where Vaughan Auto used to operate.

“We have been using the service bays that Vaughan used, and when the building’s owners wanted to sell it, we bought it so we knew we could keep using it,” said Larry.

Revell’s ability to adapt to change, while maintaining its core values for 85 years, has only prepared the company for unprecedented challenges over the last couple of years.

One of the challenges has been COVID.

“We closed up for two and a half weeks, in March of 2020, when the pandemic first hit. A few customers came into the shop saying they had just come back from Florida, and everyone got pretty nervous.

“When we re-opened, we had plexiglass installed and we did not have the waiting room open, and it still isn’t open, but we have been able to serve our customers and bring back our employees, which was important to us, and to the community, since we are one of the largest employers in South Frontenac.”

The current challenge, now that COVID protocols are well established, has to do with supply.

“Because of a computer chip shortage, we can’t get new vehicles, and people are waiting. This is a problem the entire industry is facing, and it affects our customers as well,” said Larry, “Ford has said they hope things will improve in the new year.”

The other big change that is happening is the influx of electric vehicles in place of gas-powered vehicles. They have a charging station now, and will be selling more and more electric vehicles in the coming years.

Ford is committed to switching its entire production to electric vehicles by 2036.

The chances are pretty good that Revell will still be a family run business in 2036, when it will turn 100.

The next generation of leaders are already working their way through the business. Larry’s sons Nathan and Josh, and Al’s son Brad have all been working there for several years in different capacities.

Change and stability are reflected in the mission and values statements that were adopted years ago.

Our Mission: Serve each customer as we would like to be served with the highest possible integrity, respect and consideration.

Our Values: We value our founder's vision and wish to preserve it, intense focus on the quality of our work, courtesy and consideration towards our staff, courtesy and consideration towards our customers.