Mark Wahlberg and Jay Feldman buy fifth Ohio car dealership
Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet coming to Avon
Mark Wahlberg's automotive empire is growing.
The Hollywood superstar and Michigan-based car dealer Jay Feldman have acquired their fifth showroom together in Ohio.
Joe Firment Chevrolet has been renamed Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of Avon and added to the team's portfolio, which was launched in 2018 and includes two other Chevrolet outlets, a Buick/GMC showroom and and Airstream/RV store.
Feldman is a second-generation dealer who operates another 15 dealerships across Michigan and says Wahlberg is very involved in the operation of the ones they co-own.
"Mark visits each of the stores at least once a year and loves to interact with the employees," Feldman told FOX Business.
The first four dealerships were clustered in the Columbus area, but the latest is outside Cleveland. The pair were speakers at this year's National Automotive Dealer's Association convention and Feldman said Wahlberg's name and media exposure hasn't just helped bring in customers, but also top talent excited about working with him.
"There isn't a demographic that doesn't know or like Mark," Feldman said.
Feldman said business has been good across their locations, despite the inventory shortages caused by the ongoing semiconductor shortage hitting the industry, and that pretty much everything sells, with some vehicles going out the same day they arrive.
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The two plan to expand further and Feldman expects they'll add at least one more dealership this year, but that they're being selective about their acquisitions.
"I told Mark when we started this project that I don't want to just put his name on anything," Feldman said.
"It needs to make sense for us."