Earl Hayes had already worked for Chevrolet from 1925 in a variety of managerial positions in Dallas, Detroit, and Oklahoma, when he returned to Dallas in 1945 and partnered with Roy Hill to purchase the John E. Morris Chevrolet Co. at Ninth & Lancaster (also listed as 132 Lancaster). In 1949 Hayes bought the dealership outright from Hill and built one of the largest showrooms in Dallas at the 9th & Lancaster location. He also operated a used car and truck dealership at Commerce & Industrial.
The slogan "Come out our way, trade your way" appeared in ads in 1949, and Hayes apparently stuck with the saying for the duration of his dealership.
About 1974 Earl brought his son, Robert T. (Bob) Hayes on board, and in June 1975 the result of their partnership, Bob Hayes Chevrolet Co., began operating at its new location at Marvin D. Love Freeway and Wheatland Road. Sometime in the 1990's the dealership became Powell Chevy. In 2011 Robert T. Hayes was Chairman of the Board of Hayes Truck Inc. in Dallas.
See also the Phorum discussion at Dallas Historical Society about the Hayes dealership.
Also a 1986 article from D Magazine on Dallas family dealerships.
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We have 1950s-era photos of Earl Hayes Chevrolet in our archives with a Hayes-lettered Crosley CD pickup truck. Click the link to view.
ReplyDeleteCrosley, can you post a direct link to the photos? Thanks.
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