A lot of things have changed in the automobile business over the years, but a focus on people has been a constant and consistent hallmark.

"One thing that has always been true is people love cars,"said David Alderson, president and CEO of Alderson Enterprises.

"That is really true for a lot of people," he said. "You look back at the old hot rods and how many people liked to spend time working on cars. The technology has changed that, but people still love cars."

That affinity for automobiles hasn't changed since the first dealerships sprung up in the city. One of the first Lubbock dealerships was established by business partners A.L. Scoggin and J. Ray Dickey, who began operation of Scoggin-Dickey Motor Co. in 1929.

Zwiacher

"I remember reading somewhere that when they moved the business to 19th Street and Texas Avenue in 1948, they were moving to the outskirts of town," said John Zwiacher, president of the Scoggin-Dickey dealership.

"I can't imagine what it was like starting a business in Lubbock in the 1920s," he said.

The dealership remained at that location until 1989, when it moved once again to the outskirts of town off Spur 327 and Frankford Avenue in Southwest Lubbock, beginning a migration of auto dealerships to that part of the city.

Zwiacher and Alderson are each represent the third generation of ownership in their respective businesses. Alderson said his grandfather left a Chevrolet dealership in 1948 to start his own business and a year later landed Lubbock’s Cadillac franchise.

Alderson Cadillac ad from 1956

"My grandfather moved to Lubbock in 1918," Alderson said. "He came here from Haskell to find work. He knew there would be more opportunities in a larger city."

He said technology has had a tremendous impact on all aspects of the business.

"It has changed the business and helped it become even more customer friendly," he said. "I think the customer has always been important, but I would say technology has helped the business become more customer-focused over the last 20 years."

One thing that has not changed in West Texas over time is a consistent reliance on trucks, Zwiacher said. He said that reflects the independent nature of this part of the country.

"It’s a little different in West Texas, where we are used to driving long distances," he said. "Historically, about 70 percent prefer trucks, vans, SUVs (sports utility vehicles)."

" We have a lot of people here who work out of their vehicles, and they like full-sized vehicles. Gas prices haven’t had a major impact on that, but it has had some impact."

Employees of Scoggin-Dickey Buick are shown during an anniversary celebration of the dealership.

The business will continue to change rapidly thanks to technology and other factors, including fuel prices, Zwiacher and Alderson said. Among the biggest advances in the last 100 years was the introduction of the automatic transmission in 1940. They said the business will continue to seek a balance between serving the wants and the needs of customers.

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