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PLACES

Bennett Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC

a driving force

ar
or mor
e than 90 y
e
F
For more than 90 years the
s the
Bennett family and their
car dealership have been a
staple of the local business City Garage Ltd. located at 11 Dickson St. Bennett Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC Photos
community and long-time
supporters of the Cambridge By 1960, the Bennetts Fast-forward a few years and the next
recognized
that
many generation of Bennetts – Liz, Dave,
Chamber of Commerce. customers visiting their and Chuck – joined the business, while
The family, which now has its fourth Preston operation were James sold his share to Cameron in
generation ‘behind the wheel’ at from Galt and decided to 1994 choosing to retire. The dealership
from Galt and decided to
Bennett Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC close that location – leaving continued to grow, resulting in the
Ltd on Hespeler Road, first entered the its collision department creation of the Bennett Value Centre
business in 1926 when patriarch James open - to concentrate their opening across the street from the
H. Bennett Sr. (‘Benny’) began selling efforts on the original Cambridge Centre in 1996 which closed
shop, which not only was a year later, followed by a major
cars at Oscar Rosebrugh’s Chevrolet shop, which not only was
which sat where the Dickson Street outgrowing the confines of renovation in 2000 resulting in a new
parking lot is now located. He switched its Dickson Street lot but showroom and service drive-thru bays
gears a year later and began working o ten fell victim to seasonal to coincide with GM’s new “Image 2000”
for Oscar’s son, Howard, who had opened the looding from the Grand River. As well, initiative.
H.J. Rosebrugh Hudson-Essex dealership on the land – Benny owned the building The dealership faced a tough time
Water Street. - was owned by Waterloo Trust and in 2008 when GM in the U.S. declared
In 1931, with the backing of several friends and when additional parking was needed bankruptcy and its Canadian
despite The Great Depression, ‘Benny’ took an for the employees of the Canada Post counterpart began reducing it dealers
opportunity to purchase the dealership and Office across the street, the property nationwide. Luckily, Bennett was not
began focusing on a General Motors Buick/ was expropriated by the Canadian among them and was selected to be
Pontiac product line, rebranding this venture government. the sole GM dealer in Cambridge and
as City Garage Ltd. located at 11 Dickson St. The The family looked northward and saw its product line expanded. Another
company, which also sold Philco radios besides purchased a 10-acre parcel of land renovation occurred, increasing the
new and used cars, expanded to a second on Hespeler Road in 1967, which they dealership to 46,000-square-feet and
location on King Street in Preston in 1935, which outfitted with a 12,000-square-foot pre- elevating Bennetts into one of the
came under the management of Benny’s son engineered Armco Steel building that Region’s premier dealerships and
James (Jim) in the mid-1950s, with his brother, consisted primarily of glass and steel, sparked another name change to
Cameron, joining the business in 1959 and giving the dealership a more modern Bennett Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC
taking on the role of financial management. look. At the time, Hespeler Road was Ltd.
Around this time, the family changed the only two lanes but quickly began to Today, the dealership – which now
company name to Bennett City Garage & Co. grow and become populated with more includes Dave’s children Andrew and
when a local customer expressed concern over businesses. Not long a ter the move, Jill - continues to evolve and prosper
doing business with a garage dealing with ‘city- the family closed its Preston location with new innovations, including the
owned cars.’ permanently to provide their loyal introduction of electric vehicles.
customers with a ‘one-stop’ experience.

30 Spring 2024 www.cambridgechamber.com