GM dealership has new owner

The Thomas of Cairo store has a new owner, a man who is familiar to the dealership and the car business.
Bob Hobson has worked the last six years as Thomas of Cairo’s general manager, Thomas Auto Group’s vice president, and partial owner of Thomas of Cairo. Last week, Hobson bought out his partner, Bruce Thomas, and is now sole owner of the Chevrolet, Buick and Pontiac franchise. He says Thomas is getting out of the business and has already sold his Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep franchise in Quincy and closed his Quincy GM store.
“I am looking forward to the future,” Hobson said, “this store is right across the street from the super Wal-Mart on U.S. 84, it’s 25 minutes from Tallahassee and 15 minutes from Thomasville, it’s a great location.” He says his decision to make the move was due in large part to his belief that Cairo and Grady County are growing in a positive direction and will continue to do so in the future.
The 25-year veteran of the car selling profession says the dealership will continue to operate under the same name until further notice, and customers should expect to see many of the familiar faces who work there, including Johnny Hurst, Carson Bearden, Gary Hawthorne, Ed Lamendola and many others. There are 24 employees who work at Thomas of Cairo.
Hobson says he recognizes the industry, like many others, is experiencing a slump, but he knows it will eventually turn around, “I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs, from the Jimmy Carter era when gas was steep and interest rates were high, through to now. The car business always comes back.”
Many people in Grady County have supported Hobson in his bid to become sole owner of the dealership. “I want to thank all of those people who have supported me. I have made many great friends here and enjoyed doing business here, and I am excited about the future.”
Hobson is active in the community, supporting local schools and charities, serving as a member of the Cairo Rotary Club, and working with the Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce.
Hobson, a native of Fort Pierce, Fla., moved to Tallahassee 27 years ago to attend Florida State University and never left the capital city. He and his wife, Nancy, have two children, Austin, a freshman at FSU, and Morgan, a junior at Lincoln High School in Tallahassee.