Longtime car dealer Allen Samuels confirmed Thursday he would like to open a Chrysler dealership in Waco that would carry all three company brands — Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep.

“I’m looking, but I can’t comment one way or another right now,” said Samuels, 75, who sold his Waco-based Allen Samuels Auto Group in 2005 and retired to Rockport, Texas, with his wife Donna.

But Samuels really never got out of the business. The company and dealerships around the state still bear his name, including Allen Samuels Chevrolet-Mercedes Benz in Waco. Samuels does not own the dealerships, but he retained possession of the buildings and receives lease payments.

Chrysler, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, recently cancelled the franchises of 789 dealerships nationwide. Locally, the list included Waco Dodge, the Jeep brand sold by Marstaller Motors and the Chrysler brand sold by Jeff Hunter Toyota-Chrysler.

The company has said it wants to become more efficient by selling its three brands under one roof.

“It’s way too premature to say I’ll be opening a Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep dealership in Waco, but I am interested in pursuing it,” said Samuels, who also owns Allen Samuels House of Travel.

Jeff Wooley, president and general counsel of Allen Samuels Auto Group, said, “Oh, yeah,” when asked if he’s heard that Samuels would like to open a Chrysler dealership locally.

Sam Nay, owner of the 39-year-old Waco Dodge dealership that lost its franchise, has made it clear he too would welcome the opportunity to open a Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep location in Waco.

He reportedly was out of the state and could not be reached Thursday for comment.

Still, Waco-based Allen Samuels Auto Group now owns and operates 10 new-car dealerships statewide. Its Chrysler store in Webster, Texas and Dodge store in Austin also made Chrysler’s 789-dealership hit list.

mcopeland@wacotrib.com

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