Lavery Chevrolet has been a family-owned and operated dealership since 1965. Tom Lavery, coming from humble beginnings in Brooklyn, was a member of the Army, an Ohio University Alumni, and an employee of General Motors for 17 years before buying the dealership in 1965. The dealership was first located on Hartshorn Street in Alliance, where it was owned by Ernest E. Ashley. Tom Lavery joined the company in 1964 as the Vice President, becoming the owner just a year later, renaming the dealership from Ashley Chevrolet to Lavery Chevrolet.
Two years later, Tom Lavery moved the dealership to a larger facility on State Street, where it still stands as one of the largest dealerships in Alliance. The move from Hartshorn Street to State Street was based on an evaluation that Mr. Lavery made where he said to the local newspaper, "we outgrew our capacity to properly meet the service needs and demands of our customers. The old building sharply limited our ability to function productively." The new building would house new car and truck sales, service and a parts department. The location having ample parking was one of the top items that Lavery emphasized when opening the new dealership. When the new location opened in 1968, customers were able to view the dealership at an open house. These new departments included sales, accounting, parts, service, body and paint. With the relocation, Mr. Lavery said the transition was smooth. Employee opportunities expanded, as well as the service the dealership could give to the members of the community. Employees were trained on new equipment to better serve the customers of Lavery Chevrolet.
In the 1968 Alliance Review article about the new location, Tom Lavery said, "The building program is evidence of the faith of our employees to service area customers. This assures us of a permanent place in the future of the community." In addition to running his business, Mr. Lavery was active on the board of the Alliance YMCA and worked with organizations like Alliance Community Hospital, Hot Stove Baseball League, Habitat for Humanity, and the Boy Scouts. He was a past president of the Stark County Auto Dealers and the Ohio Auto Dealers Association. He was a board member of Mount Union Bank and United Bank. In 2006, Tom Lavery was chosen as the Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce's Spirit of Enterprise Award winner.
Currently, the dealership is run by Tom Lavery's son, Bill. Tom Lavery, an area businessman, father, friend and supporter of Alliance, passed away January 5, 2010. Although his son has run the dealership for many years, Tom still stayed a businessman up to the time he passed. He would stop into the dealership daily, where his motto was "Bring your good times with you."
Bill Lavery continues is too active in numerous organizations within the greater Alliance, OH area as well as the state and even country. He is currently serving as board member with the ACH (Alliance Community Hospital), SCADA (Stark County Auto Dealers Association), the 2014 OADA President (Ohio Auto Dealers Association), GCADA (Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers), AADF (Alliance Area Development Foundation), and Stark State College of Technology. In summer of 2011, Lavery Automotive announced the ground breaking renovation project that completed the new and remodeled GM Service Center as well as showroom and Car Rental building. One of the things the dealership is known for is the longevity of its staff. Many employees have been working at Lavery Automotive since the early 1980's. A true family owned and operated dealership.
We approach the shopping, buying and ownership experience a little different. We believe in finding the best selection of new and used vehicles, paired with a wonderful customer experience and truly want you to be refreshed after visiting the dealership.
Lavery Automotive has a 80+ rental car and van fleet, state of the art collision center, GM Certified Service and parts counter. We know you will spend hours researching where to purchase, repair, or rent your next vehicle allow us to help you to the next step. You’ll experience a low-pressure sales environment where all the sales department is paid on a salary therefore they will spend the time you need and help you pick out the best vehicle. We encourage you to take a look at our website, and browse our reviews-- it’s no wonder we are the 2018 Ohio Cadillac Dealer of the Year by DealerRater.com.
