The end of an era, Wendel Motor Co. to close after 70 years of service

  • Wendel Motor Co. Owner and Manager David Barnes prepares to close the doors of the family company that has provided auto sales and service to the Yoakum community for seven decades.
    Wendel Motor Co. Owner and Manager David Barnes prepares to close the doors of the family company that has provided auto sales and service to the Yoakum community for seven decades.
  • David Barnes expects to cease operation at Wendel Motor Co. within the next few months.
    David Barnes expects to cease operation at Wendel Motor Co. within the next few months.

    Forty-five years into taking over management of Wendel Motor Co. from his father-in-law, David Barnes is preparing to face the bitter-sweet reality of closing Yoakum’s largest car dealership in exchange for a well-deserved retirement. 

     

    While a closing date remained undetermined, Barnes estimated another two months until the seven-decade-old Ford dealership officially ceases operation. 

     

    Despite nearing the conclusion of a tiring career in the auto sales industry, Wendel’s Owner and Manager expressed mixed emotions about entering retirement.

     

    “Every day we’re moving closer to closing the doors, which is going to be kind of a shock for me,” said Barnes in an interview with the Herald-Times. “This is where I have been all my life. (Retiring) is something that I need to do; I hate to do it because the customers will have to go to other dealerships to get their repairs done. I have even called people with vehicles on order to let them know they’ll have to go to another dealership.”

     

    With community involvement and customer service as core values, Wendel Motor Co. has demonstrated selfless volunteerism to the Yoakum-area community for generations. Notably, Barnes received the Yoakum Area Chamber of Commerce Paul F. Gustwick Community Service Award for spearheading a donation drive to aid a neighboring community. 

     

    “There was a big flood in Cuero around 1998; a friend and I went over there to check and see what it was like,” recalled Barnes.

     

    “I thought to host a drive with clothes and other items at the dealership. I thought it was just going to be five or six bags,” he said. “For nine or ten days, we did nothing but take donations of clothes in at the dealership. I had police officers directing traffic in front of the building. My friend brought down an enclosed trailer, and by the time we finished everything, we made 13 trips to Cuero with the trailer filled with donations.”

     

    Although Barnes searched for an aspirant to carry the torch forward for Wendel, Ford Motor Co. eventually bought the franchising rights after unsuccessful attempts to find the right candidate.  

     

    The fate of the property that has housed Wendel operations since 1953 remains unclear, though the town will soon face the need for a repair shop.  He said there would “probably not” be another car dealer at the corner of Hopkins and Irvine Streets.

     

    “I don’t know what I’m going to do when I retire because I’m not retired yet, but as it gets closer, I’ll start thinking and maybe make some plans on what I want to do,” said Barnes. “I can’t say for sure that I’ll be playing golf or going fishing; I won’t be buying cars.”

     

    Barnes emphasized thanks to the Yoakum community for consistent support and sincere friendships. 

    “Wendel has been my life…,” said Barnes. “It’s going to be hard to close the doors for the last time.”