Local News

Kunes Country purchases Oregon dealership

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Kunes Country Auto Group has purchased the Pete Harkness dealership in Oregon. New signs were put up at the dealership on Ill. 2 late Thursday afternoon. Photo by Earleen Hinton

By Vinde Wells

Editor

An Oregon Auto dealership has a new owner for the second time in less than a year.

Kunes Country Auto Group, based in Delavan, Wis., has purchased several dealerships, including the one in Oregon, from Pete Harkness Auto Group.

Harkness finalized a deal last October to buy the Oregon business from Brian Bemis Auto Mall.

Signs indicating Kunes was now the owner went up at the Oregon site on April 2.

Bob O’Neill, a Kunes marketing specialist, said the deal was finalized when officials from both companies met on April 1.

“The transition has already taken place. It’s full speed ahead,” O’Neill said Tuesday afternoon.

He said Kunes officials met last week with the staff at Oregon dealership and assured them that everyone will be keeping their jobs.

Kunes also acquired Harkness dealerships in Sterling and Morrison, O’Neill said.

Kunes owns two dealerships in Delavan, Wis., two in Elkhorn, Wis., and three in Illinois, one each in Mt. Carroll, Antioch, and Macomb.

Kunes sells Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands.

Harkness also has a dealership in Centerville, Iowa.

Pam Eggemeier at Sauk Valley Media contributed to this story.