Uncle Mel's Used Car Clearance Center Proves that You Can Still Find Dealers with a 'Hometown' Feel

Local auto dealer thrives in a day of huge conglomerates and "mega dealerships"

Plantation, FL (PRWEB) January 5, 2006 -- When one takes the drive down 441 or State Road 7 in the Fort Lauderdale/Plantation area one thing is clear... independent auto dealerships are still around even in major metropolitan areas.

One of these dealerships, nestled among the sea of everything from compacts to SUV's, is Uncle Mel's Used Car Clearance center. You won't find anything but a small sign in front and a sign on the building letting you know the business name however one thing you will find is affordable transportation.

Uncle Mel (the only public name that he is known by) is no stranger to the South Florida business community. Mel, like many in this tropical paradise, is a transplant from Chicago.

Mel packed up his family over 25 years ago and headed for the sunny South! With a strong background in the restaurant and nightclub business one thing Mel had a flair for was in how to please the public. In his early years in South Florida Uncle Mel brought his expertise to the thriving hotel and restaurant industry in this tourist Mecca and later took that knowledge to the water in creating nightly cruises on the Intracoastal waterway with entertainment, gourmet cuisine and most of all fun.

Having achieved success and reaching the heights in the "people business" Mel was asked to assist in developing marketing plans for some local auto dealerships. With the same style and flair that he had with the restaurant industry those in the auto business saw that "people are people" and the "Mel Philosophy" of dealing with those people worked the same. It was one of those dealerships who felt that Mel was such a character and that everyone wishes that they had an Uncle in the car business, that "Uncle Mel" was born. The newly created "Uncle Mel" would even appear on a late night television show that he created with the dealership as the sponsor with guests from all genres appearing on the program. One thing Mel did notice during this time was that auto dealerships were becoming impersonal and going the way of corporate America. He also noticed of the "cookie cutter" mentality that was coming into the business and that there was still a need for good, reliable transportation for just the hard working individual or for the person in need of a second or third vehicle for a growing family.

It was then that Uncle Mel decided to make it happen for himself and that is how the "Uncle Mel's Car Clearance Center" was born. Beginning with just a few cars and a small team of three the customers who had already known the "Uncle Mel" name started coming in and the rest is history.

The Uncle Mel philosophy is pretty much like the old "hometown" dealership. He also is providing a niche as well from those with great credit to those with "less than perfect" credit can still drive a vehicle that they want. Uncle Mel believes "bad things do happen to good people" often through no fault of their own and that they deserve a "second chance". Uncle Mel is even becoming a friend to places like the Bahamas where Bahamians and people from the Caribbean can come to South Florida and have their car shipped back home to the islands.

Uncle Mel's, even though still very much the hometown low-key dealership, utilizes technology and his vehicles can be found on the web at autotrader.com. and other outlets, Uncle Mel says, "We have had calls and e-mails as far as California on some of our cars"

Uncle Mel isn't some auto dealership hero or guru, he, is just a hard working individual who loves people and takes pride in knowing that he is doing something to make their lives a little easier.

In a day of "mega mergers" and impersonal customer service it is good to know that everyone can still have an Uncle Mel in the car business.

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