Victory Honda of Sandusky, previously owned by Victory Automotive Group, has been sold to Firelands Auto Group. Firelands Auto Group, operated by Patrick O’Brien, has added Firelands Honda, located at 2301 Hayes Ave., in Sandusky, to their growing group of Ohio-based stores.
Tim Lamb, President of the Tim Lamb Group, who has worked closely with both auto groups over the years, closed the deal on Monday, September 18, 2023.
“The relationship that I have with both Victory Automotive and Firelands Auto provided both groups with reassurance that this would be a fair and smooth transaction,” Lamb stated.
“It’s about finding the right fit for both the buyer and seller and engaging a buyer that shows the ability and urgency to pull all the necessary parties together and swiftly navigate the manufacturer approval process,” he added.
When O’Brien purchased his first store in Norwalk, Ohio, back in 2017, he hoped to encompass a larger footprint of brands with multiple stores throughout Northern Ohio. Now, he owns five stores, Firelands Auto Group operates Firelands Chevrolet Buick Dealership & Collision Center in Norwalk, Firelands Chevrolet of Vermilion, Firelands Toyota, Firelands Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and now Firelands Honda, in the greater Sandusky area.
“By adding more brands, we can make what we own into a true automotive campus, and that’s what I plan to create at Strub Road and U.S. 250 in Sandusky,” stated O’Brien.
O’Brien will be debuting his new location, Firelands Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, in the upcoming weeks which will be located adjacent to the Toyota store on the Strub campus. O’Brien plans to invest in the current Honda location and in the near future begin construction of a brand-new Honda facility on the Strub Road campus.
“We were excited to purchase the Honda dealership for multiple reasons; one being that our customers often come in looking for Honda vehicles, another being that Honda is such a huge supporter of jobs and manufacturing needs in Ohio,” stated O’Brien.
Honda, who became the first Japanese automaker to produce cars in the U.S. back in 1982, started their journey at a production plant in Marysville Ohio. Honda has hired more than 15,000 Ohio residents and is now working to transform their Marysville Auto, East Liberty Auto, and Anna Engine plants, into electric plants.
