WARREN – Car dealerships like to draw in customers with promises of cutting-edge features, but a local auto group’s 100 anniversary is putting modernity on hold for a chance to celebrate a century of being family owned.

Fourth-generation family employee Chris Cole, who is Internet Sales Manager, attributes the dealership’s longevity to being family owned and keeping a good reputation.

The dealership first opened locally in 1914.

“The biggest thing that sticks out to me is that it’s always been family-owned that’s one thing a lot of our customers like,” Cole said. “No matter what, someone with the name Cole is in the dealership.”

Some of those customers have stuck with Cole Valley for nearly as long as its been around.

“We’ve had generations of customers that have bought off us,” Cole said. “There are people who bought off of my grandpa, or bought off my dad, and their kids are buying off of us now.”

David Cole, a third generation owner of the auto group and Chris’ father, said the group’s history traces back to a couple areas.

Clyde Cole Sr., David’s grandfather, started with a location in North Jackson. In 1924, he he built a dealership on East Market Street in Warren, Clyde Cole Motor Co. Then, in 1966, Clyde Cole Jr., David’s father, took over the dealership. He sold Cadillacs and Buicks there while his brother Jack sold Oldsmobiles at a separate location. Clyde Cole Jr.’s dealership eventually gave up Buick, but it also sold Jeep and AMC-Renault over its lifespan.

In 1992, Clyde Cole Jr. oversaw his dealership’s merger with a Pontiac dealership which became Cole Valley Cadillac. Clyde Cole Jr. retired in 1993 and died in 2006.

The Coles also have owned Cole Valley Chevrolet in Newton Falls since 2001, and others in their family own dealerships too.

Being an older dealership, the Coles have a stable of long-time employees.

When asked how many years he’d been working at Cole Valley, Sam McCracken, a mechanic at Cole Valley Cadillac, simply said “enough.” Enough amounts to 44 years for McCracken, longer than either of the dealerships the Coles’ currently own have been open.

McCracken agreed that 100 years was quite a milestone.

Although David Cole recognized how special it is for a family business to stay family owned for 100 years, neither he nor his father ever pushed for it to happen.

“My dad was not very pushy,” David Cole said. “He said, ‘Do what you want to do, you don’t have to do the family business.’ “

Of his position as Internet Sales Manager, Chris Cole said, “I got the position about two and a half years ago, and before me there wasn’t really anyone doing it. Before that I worked in sales during summers, (in the) service department and the detail department. So I’ve worked here pretty much my whole life, just in different areas.”

When he puts it that way, it makes a lot of sense why a Cole would want to work with cars.

“For me, it’s been a family business, and basically it’s something that’s just part of you,” Chris Cole said.

To help mark the dealership’s centennial celebration, Cole Valley Auto Group, formed in 1914, will host a “Cruise-In” car show Saturday at Cole Valley Cadillac. The auto group is planning for more than 100 cars at the show, and is hoping to bring in a 100 year-old Cadillac.

There will be food and beverages for the public from Vernon’s Cafe, music, and local vendors at the Cruise-In. The dealership also is showing off its recently renovated showroom.

The auto group’s last celebration was in 1974, when it held a diamond jubilee to mark the 60th year.

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