Butler County Ford continuing under #1 Cochran
On Wednesday, #1 Cochran announced that it acquired the business that has operated on Main and Wayne streets for more than 100 years, Butler County Ford.
Rob Cochran, CEO of #1 Cochran, said visitors to the dealership won’t notice too much of a change when coming to shop, because 90 percent of the people it employed made the transition to the new ownership. #1 Cochran owns more than 20 car dealerships around Western Pennsylvania.
“There is one core set of values, we really work hard to make sure each of our showroom operations tie into our corporate culture, so we have a consistent experience,” Cochran said. “Whether you are buying a Nissan in Cranberry or you're buying a Ford in Butler, or you're buying a Kia in Robinson Township — it's all a consistent focus and creating the best customer experience.”
While the business is changing hands, the building housing the dealership is still owned by Cathy Glasgow, who owned Butler County Ford. Cochran said he plans to relocate the dealership in the coming years, possibly to a space near the #1 Cochran Subaru dealership on Route 68.
The move may not affect everyone looking to buy a new Ford, however, because Cochran said the online sales market is growing all the time.
“We are in the process now where if people want to do a transaction all online, we will honor that,” he said. “Our expressway, digital interface, being able to buy vehicles online, transactions online — it's all part of what we do.”
Cochran also said that although issues with material supply chains have impacted other businesses, his dealerships have benefitted because they always sell vehicles at a selected price.
“We look at market conditions every day and will adjust pricing up or down based on market conditions and supply constraints,” he said. “We are adamant that we won't sell any vehicle above manufacturer’s suggested retail price.”
Cochran said he expects the dealership to continue its success, seeing that the other #1 Cochran stores around the state have been doing well for years.
“We like Butler, we like the area. We have the Subaru store up the road and we have had a lot of success,” Cochran said. “We have enjoyed growing in this market and we have actively looked for more brands.”
