“It really comes down to people. We’ve surrounded ourselves with some phenomenal people. Pretty much every manager in our group has come in at an
“Our business is a people business, from our employees to our customers.”
Bruce Auto Group has evolved into an automotive entity with five franchises from New Minas to Yarmouth, including the recently acquired Hyundai dealership on Prospect Road in New Minas.
Between running the stores, customer care
And it all started in Middleton.
“This is where we’re from. This has made us who we are today,” says Barker.
“It’s a good place for people to raise their children, with the small schools and stuff. We don’t have a problem recruiting people here.”
Barker’s office is in the Bruce Chevrolet Buick GMC franchise on Main Street, a building that originally opened in 1927.
“My Dad started working for Mr. Bruce about 43 years ago,” he says, referring to Bruce Automotive Group CEO Leslie Barker.
“He came right out of university here and never left.”
Barker says they’ve been heavily focused on diversifying their portfolio since 2009 as a way to adapt to changing trends within the industry. They deal with several manufacturers and sell a wide variety of vehicles, including both imports and domestics.
“In times when gas prices are really high, small cars sell. When gas prices are like they are, the truck market is really strong,” he explains.
The key to the balancing act, Barker adds, is offering a wide selection and transparent, market value pricing.
“We’ve been able to drive our costs down so we can sell cars cheaper and sell more of them,” he says, adding that it’s not uncommon for customers to drive to Middleton from as far away as Cape Breton because of the pricing.
Asked what drove him join his father at the corporate level of the family business, Barker says he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s the best partnership you could ever have… I couldn’t imagine a day without him. I can only hope that my children will want to be here and that we have the same working relationship.”
The highlight of having a leadership role with Bruce Automotive Group, he continues, is constantly watching a passionate group of individuals put their heads together to achieve great things.
“This used to be a gas station, and (we) watched people that pumped gas that are managers or leaders in the group now, and they’re running a staff of 50,” he says.
“It’s pretty powerful.”
As for the future of Bruce Auto, Barker says “pedal to the metal” about sums it up.
“We never stop.”
