Gjovik marks 40 years
Anniversary party held to celebrate four decades in Sandwich
1968 was quite a year. America was embroiled in the Vietnam War. Yippies and police battled outside the Democratic convention in Chicago. Richard Nixon out-polled Hubert Humphrey for the presidency after the assassination of Robert Kennedy.
It wasn't all "bad" news. Apollo 8 lit up the sky. The Boeing 747 made its maiden flight. An average house cost $14,950 and most Americans made about $7,800 a year. You could go to the movies for $1.50 and rent an apartment for $130 a month.
Lesser publicized, but no less significant for the local economy, Olaf Gjovik went into the new car business in Sandwich with the launch of a Chevy-Oldsmobile dealership, after 12 years selling used cars.
Gas was 34 cents a gallon and a new car set you back about $2,800. Gjovik quickly became a great place to buy a car. It still is.
"Back in those days, when I drove from Oswego to Sandwich there were only four stop lights between me and my business on Highway 34. This morning on the way in, I counted 30 stoplights. Back in 1968 it was all prairie out here. You could shoot a cannon off in any direction and not hit any humans or animals. Things have really changed in the last 40 years as has our dealership," noted Olaf Gjovik, looking out over the crowd and activity at the dealership's 40th anniversary party on June 21.
"We began to expand and add other car lines ... Ford in 1990, Pontiac and Buick in 1994, and GMC in 1995. These were growth years for my business and for the entire Chicago western suburbs. In 1968, the first year of my new business, the labor rate was $4 an hour, which is a far cry from today's labor rate at a car dealership!" Gjovik added.
The 40th Anniversary Party included a help-yourself lunch with barbeque, hot dogs and cup cakes. On hand was a clown to blow up balloons for all the kids, and a ring toss game for kids and adults. There were drawings on the hour for prizes such a T-shirts and free oil changes. The dealership also sponsored a free workshop Saturday on "How to Maintain Your Auto."
Some classic old cars were on display, including a neat 1969 3.07 Chevelle, which (who knows?) might even have come off Gjoviks lot 39 years ago.
You might think with all the history that Olaf Gjovik's favorite topic is the "old days." Not so. He loves to point out his best-selling vehicles today and the future cars coming up from GM.
"Our most successful sellers are crossover vehicles ... the Arcadia and Onclave ... plus the Impala and Malibu. Coming up is a new Chevy and a totally new car, the Traverse. GM is also on line with the Volt, a new electric car. It's an exciting time to be in the car business," said Gjovik.
After selling cars for over 50 years, Gjovik still maintains his sharp salesmanship. He would have said more, no doubt, but enthusiastically interrupted our interview to go sell a car.
To contact Gjovik Auto, located at 2780 Route 34 East, call toll free at 1-800-378-3325, or go on line to www.gjovikauto.com.