business
Buying Local on Automobile Row
the city's Hudson dealer and Bob Bleecker's mother, Jen- nie Bleecker, played an integral role in the family business until she passed away in 2009. She started off as a title clerk, served in the role of cashier and eventually ran the business with her husband.
B
leecker Autos spans four generations and, in 1938, Bob Bleecker's grandfather, Fred Bleecker, opened a dealership on Franklin Street. They were known for being
The Bleecker family and others drove Fayetteville's auto business BY KELLY TWEDELL & REBEKAH SANDERLIN
Bob's father, who was also known as Bob, met Jennie while he was in ROTC at State College before joining the Air Force as a second lieutenant. Upon his return from the war, Bob, Sr. went to work selling cars for his father, Fred. He made around $50 a week and Mrs. Bleecker made $35 a week, big money for 1943.
The new Hudson dealership was built on Russell Street in 1948. The Bleecker's bought the lot from the Yarbor- ough family, and Fred, an architect who graduated from State College, drew up the designs for the building to fit the lot. In 1952, the elder Bob Bleecker bought his father's Hudson dealership. Hudson merged with American Mo- tors in 1955, along with Rand Nash, and Bleecker became the AMC dealer in the area. It stayed like that until Fred died in 1962 and Bob, Sr. and Jennie Bleecker began run- ning the family business.
During that era, the president of AMC was George Romney. Sound familiar? George was Mitt's daddy and had both an entrepreneurial and patriotic spirit, as well. George Romney drove a Rambler, a two door red car that he named the 'American'.
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