The History of Tubbs Brothers By Dave Tubbs and A family history of Tubbs Brothers, shared by the son of co-founder Donald Tubbs

Donald’s childhood also included a lengthy illness. After contracting scarlet fever, he developed osteomyelitis, a serious bone infection. A concerned citizen helped arrange care at the University of Michigan, where Donald spent many months receiving treatment. With little money and travel to Ann Arbor difficult, the family relied on regular letters from nurses to keep his mother informed.

Cecil went on to serve in the United States Navy during World War II, saving some of his service earnings. Donald attended Detroit Tech to pursue a pharmacy degree and sold cars to help pay for college.

By the time Clarence’s dealership was facing financial trouble, Cecil managed the service department and Donald worked in sales. Donald would later become Clarence King’s son-in-law.

Donald and Cecil asked Chrysler Corporation to let them take over the franchise. Their application was initially declined because of their youth and limited financial resources. The brothers found another way forward. They arranged to recapitalize the dealership and continued operating under Clarence’s franchise. Robert Cork, a local businessman, provided a loan.

Dad remembered seeing familiar faces whenever he visited Mr. Cork’s office to make payments. Eventually, he understood that Cork was helping finance many people in the community. Dad also recalled a period when mortgage payments were not required. The brothers saved that money instead of spending it.

After a couple of years, their efforts had demonstrated that the dealership could succeed. Chrysler awarded them the Chrysler-Plymouth franchise in 1954. Donald was 25, making him one of the country’s youngest dealers at the time. Cecil was 32.

Tubbs Brothers had officially begun.

Replacing used-car inventory could involve a trip to Detroit. After selling a vehicle, Dad sometimes drove there with cash to purchase another.

To protect the money, he and Cecil created a hidden compartment in their car. Its location was a secret shared only by the brothers.

Years later, Mom occasionally asked me to look for Dad when he was late coming home. On one occasion, I found him examining an old Chrysler. I eventually recognized that it was the same model he had driven on those buying trips to Detroit. That car still meant something to him.

Tubbs Brothers received the Dodge franchise in 1960. Besides expanding the vehicle selection, the addition brought trucks to the dealership—an important development in a farming community where trucks were primarily working tools.

The muscle-car years brought their own memories. As a teenager, I enjoyed seeing Barracudas, Road Runners, and GTXs equipped with large V8 engines.

Monday afternoons after school often revealed the results of weekend street racing: cars in the service department with damaged engines and drivetrains. Snover Road became known as “Snover Dragway,” a place where drivers met for grudge matches.

Ford’s history in Sandusky included several dealerships. Bill Brown Ford, which later became one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country, began here. I grew up beside a member of the Brown family, with Mr. Brown’s horse-trotting track next to our home.

After the Browns moved to Livonia, other Ford dealers came and went.

A young Ford representative named Phil Novell eventually approached Dad about becoming a Ford dealer. His proposal required dropping Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge. Dad and Cecil were loyal to Chrysler and declined that arrangement. Dad did, however, offer to add Ford if the manufacturers could share one roof.

Phil returned repeatedly and ultimately persuaded Ford to approve the arrangement. In 1970, Tubbs Brothers added the Ford-Mercury franchise. Phil later became General Sales Manager of the Ford Division.

By 1974, the downtown dealership no longer provided enough room. Planning began for a new facility on M-46, two miles west of Sandusky.

Economic difficulties interrupted construction for about a year. In 1976, we moved into the new building with 13 employees. The dealership has since grown to approximately 65 employees.

The additional space allowed us to expand. Over time, we added a separate body shop and a used-car facility. When the body shop became too small, a larger collision repair center followed.

In 2020, we expanded detailing operations and opened a medium-duty repair facility. That facility can lift vehicles weighing up to 50,000 pounds and accommodate high-roof commercial vans, including the Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster. It also allows us to service school buses, commercial vehicles, and other equipment that many conventional dealership shops cannot safely accommodate.

A purchase at Tubbs Brothers connects customers with the resources of the entire dealership.

Sales and finance teams assist with choosing and purchasing a vehicle. Parts and service teams help keep it operating. Our collision center provides support after an accident, and our commercial service facilities help local businesses and fleets maintain their vehicles.

We want to continue earning our customers’ trust long after they leave the lot.

Sandusky and the surrounding communities have supported Tubbs Brothers for more than seven decades. Our employees live here, raise families here, shop locally, and contribute to the schools, organizations, and causes that help make Sanilac County special. Tubbs Brothers | Sandusky, Michigan 4.

We believe a locally owned dealership has a responsibility to contribute to the community that helped it grow.

My father and uncle began with limited resources, but they built a business that has lasted for generations. I am proud of their work, proud of our employees, and thankful for the thousands of customers who have placed their trust in us.

As the automotive industry continues to change, our guiding principles remain familiar: work hard, treat people fairly, keep your word, stand behind what you sell, and remember those who helped along the way.

Thank you for being part of the Tubbs Brothers story.

Tubbs Brothers — Family Owned. Community Driven. Since 1954.

Adapted from Dave Tubbs's original account, 'The Tubbs Brothers Story.'