The rise of mega-dealerships has not swayed one Bountiful-based car company, which still prides itself on being small.
In fact, the dealer's slogan captures a "mom and pop" image — "The last of the little guys."
Menlove Dodge Toyota might not have opened had it not been for a hunting trip.
"My grandfather and my uncle Jim wanted to go deer hunting, and the only reason that my mom and dad got the Toyota franchise in 1962 was because they wanted a LandCruiser and so they picked up Toyota," said Wesley Johnson, owner. "Over the course of the years, it turned into a real godsend for them."
Back then, Toyota was desperate to open franchises.
"Toyota at that time was Japanese junk," Johnson said. "Now it's the most valuable franchise that's out there right now."
Bill and Carol Johnson, Wesley's parents, ended up getting the franchise for free. The only cost was the vehicles. They decided to name the dealership after Carol's father, Roy Menlove, because his name was more intriguing.
The Johnsons added a Dodge franchise in 1965.
Now, 43 years later, Menlove Dodge Toyota ranks as one of the oldest Toyota dealerships in the country.
In 2004, the dealership had one of its best years, selling roughly 2,700 new passenger and light trucks, up from 2,216 vehicles sold in 2003.
Menlove sells about twice as many Toyota vehicles as Dodge.
Jim Wood, director of the University of Utah's Bureau of Economic and Business Research, said aggressive financing options helped push new vehicle sales statewide to near-record levels in 2004, with nearly 100,000 new vehicles sold and 174,000 used vehicles sold.
"It's really been bumped up," Wood said. "Two years ago we were at 92,000 new vehicles sold."
Despite improving sales, Johnson said no dealership can take anything for granted.
"The playing field is extremely level when it comes to selling new cars," he said. "The incentives are all the same. . . . A lot of my competitors are very good dealers as well. That makes it even tougher."
E-mail: danderton@desnews.com