For over 100 years the name Long-Lewis has made its mark on the state of Alabama. What started as a hardware store in 1887 in Bessemer grew into what is now the longest-running automotive dealership in the state. 

Long-Lewis Automotive Group owns and operates four Ford dealerships, three Lincoln stores and one Chevrolet, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi dealership each across north and central Alabama. 

“God has given us an opportunity to not only be a profitable business but to help people and do business the right way,” said Chief Operating Officer and partner Chris Ouellette.

Four Pillars

For Long-Lewis, doing business “the right way” means operating on four pillars: employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, volume and profitability. 

“We put employee satisfaction ahead of customer satisfaction because employee satisfaction will lead to good customer satisfaction,” Ouellette said. 

To better understand its employees and their needs, each dealership surveys staff twice a year. It’s an anonymous survey that asks about their experiences with their managers and leadership, as well as various departments, such as service and parts. It helps ensure that those in leadership are held accountable, Ouellette said. 

When it comes to volume, sales are still the fastest way to get a business growing, according to the executive. 

“Selling more cars will get you more units in operation, and your service department will have more work because of that.” 

As for profitability, Ouellette credits the group’s success to its business model. He acknowledged some dealerships don’t always have the best reputations but that Long-Lewis strives to be different.

“We operate on biblical principles. We put others ahead of ourselves and are transparent and honest,” he said. 

That mindset led to the founding of the Long-Lewis Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

“We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do with this money,’ and the answer was set up a fund where we can give back,” Ouellette said.

The foundation works with organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and United Way, as well as individuals who are in need. He said it tries to be a “hand up” not a “handout” because it wants people to get back on their feet. 

“The foundation is the personification of why we do this and why we’re growing and driven to be successful,” Ouellette said. 

19^th Century Start

Long-Lewis has grown steadily over the past two to three years, averaging adding one store per year. But the company itself has evolved substantially since its humble beginnings in Bessemer, Ala. 

William J. Long, owner of Bessemer Cornice Works, acquired the Lewis Hardware Co. in 1887 and renamed it Long-Lewis Hardware Co. More than 20 years later, Long purchased his first Ford Model T, and his interest in the “horseless carriage” only grew from there. Long was convinced that the automobile was the vehicle of the future, and in 1915 the company became one of the first Ford franchises in the U.S.

In 1921 Long expanded the hardware store to include a two-story building for the “Ford Division” of Long-Lewis. Then in 1929 a second hardware store was opened in downtown Birmingham.

More than 30 years later in 1965 the Ford Division separated from the hardware store and became its own rooftop on what was the Bessemer Super Highway.

In 1986 longtime general manager Vaughn Burrell bought out William Long to become the sole owner. Ten years later, Burrell opened a location in Muscle Shoals and brought in Todd Ouellette, today’s owner and president of the automotive group, as a partner. Ouellette had been with the company since the 1980s and after five years as partner bought out Burrell in Muscle Shoals and expanded the group to nearby Florence and Prattville.

In 1999, Burrell moved the Ford-Lincoln store from Bessemer to a new location in Hoover.

Ouellette became sole owner in 2020 and brought in Allen Vines as a partner and to serve as the dealer principal for Hoover. That year two others were also invited in as partners: Ouellette’s son, Chris, and Burrell’s grandson, Joe Burrell.

Between 2022 and 2024, Long-Lewis acquired three more locations: Long-Lewis of Alabaster, Long-Lewis Chevrolet of the Shoals, and Long-Lewis Ford-Lincoln of Cullman. 

Growing the Smart Way

According to Chris Ouellette, the automotive group is intentional with its acquisitions. 

“We don’t grow just to grow. We don’t bring a store in that we’re not trying to make a part of our family,” he said. 

But growth in a dealership means more than just acquisitions. The automotive industry is constantly evolving to meet customers’ demands, and today technology and data are the key drivers of change. Long-Lewis has a dedicated reporting team that manages its data and keeps up with industry changes. 

“You need people focused on research, implementation and testing. If you don’t, you’re going to struggle,” Oullette said. 

A significant change came in the company allowing finance managers to working remotely. For over a year now, they have done all of their deals virtually.

“This was another employee satisfaction move for us. We wanted our finance managers to have the ability to work from home and have more work-life balance,” Ouellette said. 

When asked for his advice for other dealers already in the business, he emphasized the importance of building up one’s employees. 

“There’s no greater fulfillment than pouring into others,” he said. “I can’t overemphasize that your people are your best asset.”

And for those new to the car business or trying to break into it, he encouraged them to find a mentor or two. For example, he said that at Long-Lewis there are many executives who worked their way up in the business because they had people mentoring and pouring into them.