The History of Busam Automotive
December 28, 2010 Leave a comment
It all started in 1909. Henry Ford was traveling through Cincinnati, when his Ford broke down. Mr. Ford asked around about who could fix his car, local Cincinnatians directed him to Joe Busam’s blacksmith shop. Joe Sr. fixed Ford’s vehicle so well that Mr. Ford asked Joe to open a service facility. By 1912 Busam was selling Ford’s as the first Cincinnati Ford dealer. What started as a service center; has grown into 3 franchises (Nissan, Subaru, and Suzuki) with 2 locations.
Check out these early pictures of the staff and newspaper clippings!
Joe Sr. operated the initial Busam Ford dealership throughout the 20’s, 30’s and early 40’s until his death in 1946. Joe Jr., representing the 2nd generation, took over when we returned from World War II. Joe Jr. took on new challenges, and began selling multiple franchises throughout his tenure as dealership principal. It was an interesting mix of manufacturers, many of which have gone and gone, including: Tucker, Packard, Rambler, Studebaker, Peugot, Maserati, Yugo, Alfa Romeo, and Datsun; which later was renamed Nissan.
Joe Jr. passed away in 1993 leaving the dealership to the 3rd generation: his sons John and J. Charles. John and J. Charles run the oldest Nissan dealership in Cincinnati, a 40 year tradition. While running the company the Busam brothers have expanded into new brands like their fathers before them. Subaru and Suzuki are the two latest manufacturers to entrust their products to the Busam Automotive selling tradition.
The family tradition doesn’t stop at 3 generations. Joe Jr., son of Charlie has been a member of the business since an early age. Starting at the bottom, and working his way up the ranks, Joe currently assists in management of all three brands.
The Busam family is Cincinnati’s oldest continuous running car family, lasting over 100 years. They have stood the test of time thanks to a dedicated emphasis on the importance of family values and building positive relationships with their community.
Joe Jr. passed away in 1993 leaving the dealership to the 3rd generation: his sons John and J. Charles. John and J. Charles run the oldest Nissan dealership in Cincinnati, a 40 year tradition. While running the company the Busam brothers have expanded into new brands like their fathers before them. Subaru and Suzuki are the two latest manufacturers to entrust their products to the Busam Automotive selling tradition.
The family tradition doesn’t stop at 3 generations. Joe Jr., son of Charlie has been a member of the business since an early age. Starting at the bottom, and working his way up the ranks, Joe currently assists in management of all three brands.
The Busam family is Cincinnati’s oldest continuous running car family, lasting over 100 years. They have stood the test of time thanks to a dedicated emphasis on the importance of family values and building positive relationships with their community.
Until next time, I’m Andrew Shipp ^AS, of Busam Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki