Wyatt Buick-Pontiac dealership to close in Danville

Sarah Arkin
Danville Register and Bee
Published: March 4, 2008

After 84 years in business the fourth oldest licensed car dealership in Virginia will close its doors.

Once all the paperwork goes through in about a month operations of the Wyatt Buick-Pontiac dealership on Riverside Drive will be handed over to Woodall Chevrolet, also on Riverside Drive, said second-generation Wyatt owner Landon R. Wyatt Jr.

“We’ve agreed to resign our franchise (to General Motors) and they’ll award it to Woodall,” said Wyatt, 82. “General Motors has been trying (to purchase the franchise) for a couple of years,” although the Wyatts hadn’t considered the offers before.

“There are a lot of factors that played into it,” he said. “We have some employees who would like to retire, and at my age I probably should. All the stars lined up to where this seemed to be the appropriate time.”

Landon R. Wyatt Sr. opened the dealership in 1924 at the intersection of Graghead and Newton Streets. From 1934 until 1967 the dealership was located at what is now Duffie Graphics on Main Street. It moved to its current location on Riverside Drive in 1967. Wyatt Sr. served in both the State Senate and House of Representatives.

Wyatt Jr. said he grew up in the business and began working there full time in 1949. Currently he runs the business with his daughter Margaret Scott.

Wyatt said that last year the dealership made about 125 sales, and that sales had been declining in recent years. Currently Wyatt employs 16 people who will be offered interviews at Woodall.

“Nothing lasts forever,” said Wyatt. “It appears to be our time.”