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Lee Auto Malls Acquires Linnehan’s Credit Now! Auto Company

Lee Auto Malls has acquired the assets of the Linnehan’s Credit Now! Auto Company, including its dealerships and related finance company, Atlantic Acceptance Corporation. The merger brings together two of the largest volume used-vehicle dealers in the state of Maine.

by Staff
December 16, 2009
2 min to read


Lee Auto Malls has acquired the assets of the Linnehan’s Credit Now! Auto Company, including its dealerships and related finance company, Atlantic Acceptance Corporation.  The merger brings together two of the largest volume used-vehicle dealers in the state of Maine.

The Lee Group has 12 sales locations, primarily in the Southern and Western Maine areas, while Credit Now! Auto Company operates eight locations in Northern and Central Maine.

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Lee Auto Malls President Adam Lee commented, “We are very pleased to be able to make this acquisition for our company,” said Adam Lee, president of Lee Auto Malls. “We have known the Linnehans and their organization for many years, dating back to when my father, Shep, used to do business with John Linnehan, Sr. As friendly competitors, we have admired their successes over they years, and we really feel like this is a great fit for both organizations.”

Officials with Lee Auto Mall said the merger went smoothly, and that it will retain all of Credit Now!’s executive team. Lee will also keep open the eight existing locations under the Credit Now! brand, and retain all of the existing employees.

Credit Now!’s Chief Operating Officer John Linnehan, Jr., said the sale will allow him to focus his efforts toward ministry. “In order to fully pursue my passion to share the Gospel, I felt I needed to find a new owner for my business interests, and the first organization I thought of was the Lee group,” he said. “I thought then, and it has been confirmed in our recent dealings with them, that they are a first class organization, managed by competent, compassionate leaders, that will continue to treat our customers and our associates in the quality manner for which we have always strived.  I know they have exciting plans for taking the foundation we have established, and moving it to the next level.”

The Lee Auto Malls family of automotive dealerships has been serving customers throughout Maine since 1936.  In addition to the largest used-vehicle selection in Maine, it also carries new vehicles, including Toyota, Scion, Honda, Nissan, GMC, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. 

Credit Now! Auto Company is one of Maine’s biggest sales volume dealers for used cars. The four-generation business has operated in Maine since 1950.

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