Our Roots in Sandusky By Dave Tubbs

Donald, my father, was the younger brother. Cecil was seven years older. When their father, Edward Tubbs, died, Donald was six and Cecil was thirteen.

Their mother took in laundry to help support the household, and Cecil became its de facto breadwinner. Money was scarce.

Donald faced another challenge when scarlet fever led to osteomyelitis, a serious infection of the bone. With help from a concerned citizen, he received treatment at the University of Michigan and remained there for many months. His family could not easily afford or arrange trips to Ann Arbor, so nurses regularly wrote to his mother with news of his condition.

As a young man, Cecil served in the United States Navy during World War II and saved money from his service. Donald pursued a pharmacy degree at Detroit Tech, selling cars to cover college expenses.

At Clarence’s dealership, their responsibilities complemented one another: Cecil ran service, and Donald sold vehicles. Donald would also later join Clarence’s family as his son-in-law.

Taking over the dealership was not as simple as submitting an application.

Chrysler Corporation initially turned down the brothers’ request for the franchise. They were young and did not have substantial financial resources. Nevertheless, they arranged to recapitalize the business and operate through Clarence King’s existing franchise.

Local businessman Robert Cork helped by lending them money. Dad later recalled the people he repeatedly saw at Cork’s office when making payments. He eventually realized that Mr. Cork was financing many local residents.

Dad also remembered an early period without required mortgage payments. He and Cecil used that opportunity to put money aside.

Their persistence paid off. After a couple of years of proving the business could operate successfully, Donald and Cecil received their Chrysler-Plymouth franchise in 1954.

At 25, Donald was among the youngest automobile dealers in the country. Cecil was 32. The dealership was officially Tubbs Brothers.

In the early days, buying another used car sometimes meant Dad driving to Detroit after making a sale. He carried the purchase money in cash.

He and Cecil devised a concealed place in their car to store it. Only they knew where the money was hidden.

Much later, Mom would sometimes call me if Dad had not arrived home when expected. Once, I located him looking over an old Chrysler. In time, I realized why that particular car interested him: it was the same model he had used for the Detroit buying trips.

It was a small reminder of the years spent building the dealership.

The Dodge franchise was awarded to Tubbs Brothers in 1960. The addition expanded our offerings and brought trucks into the lineup.

For a dealership serving a farming community, trucks mattered. At that time, they were generally purchased for work rather than the everyday transportation role they often serve today.

The following muscle-car era was memorable, too. As a teenager, I loved the big V8-powered Barracudas, Road Runners, and GTXs.

Working after school on Mondays, I frequently saw vehicles needing engine or drivetrain repairs following weekend street racing. Snover Road was a popular location for grudge matches and earned the nickname “Snover Dragway.”

Sandusky had a history of Ford dealerships before Ford became part of Tubbs Brothers.

Bill Brown Ford began in Sandusky before becoming one of the country’s largest Ford dealers. A member of the Brown family lived beside us when I was growing up, and Mr. Brown had a horse-trotting track next to our house.

Following the Browns’ departure for Livonia, several other Ford dealers operated in town.

Eventually, Ford representative Phil Novell asked Dad to give up Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge and become a Ford dealer. Dad and Cecil’s loyalty to Chrysler meant they would not accept those terms.

Dad proposed another possibility: keep the existing brands and add Ford under the same roof.

After several visits, Phil secured Ford’s agreement. Tubbs Brothers received the Ford-Mercury franchise in 1970. Phil Novell subsequently became General Sales Manager of the Ford Division.

The arrangement helped establish the multi-brand dealership customers know today.

By 1974, we needed more space than the original downtown property could offer. We began planning a modern dealership two miles west of Sandusky on M-46.

A faltering economy stopped construction for roughly a year, but the move finally took place in 1976.

We had 13 employees at the time. Today, that number has grown to approximately 65.

With more room available, the dealership continued developing its services. A separate body shop and used-car facility were added, followed by a larger collision repair center when the earlier shop could no longer meet our needs.

In 2020, Tubbs Brothers expanded its detailing operations and opened a medium-duty repair Facility.

The facility can lift vehicles weighing as much as 50,000 pounds. Its space also accommodates high-roof commercial vehicles such as Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster vans.

These capabilities allow us to work on school buses, commercial vehicles, and other equipment that many conventional dealership service departments cannot safely accommodate. They reflect our continued investment in facilities, equipment, and people to meet customers’ needs.

Customers visiting Tubbs Brothers can compare Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles in one location. They also have access to support beyond the sale.

Our sales and finance staff help with the purchase. Service and parts teams assist with keeping vehicles on the road. The collision center helps customers following accidents, while commercial service facilities support businesses and fleets.

Our goal is to earn your business when you buy and continue earning your confidence throughout ownership.

Tubbs Brothers has grown with support from Sandusky and its surrounding communities. Our employees are part of those communities, raising families, supporting local businesses, and contributing to Sanilac County’s schools, organizations, and causes.

We believe the dealership should make a positive contribution to the place that made its success possible.

The automotive world has changed considerably since Donald and Cecil took on that struggling business. Technology has advanced, vehicles have evolved, and customers shop differently. The principles my father and uncle brought to their work still guide us: fairness, hard work, keeping promises, standing behind what we sell, and gratitude for the people who helped us succeed.

I am proud of what they built, proud of the people who carry that work forward, and grateful to the thousands of customers who have trusted Tubbs Brothers over the years.

There are more memories to share and more chapters ahead. Thank you for helping make this story possible.

Adapted from Dave Tubbs’s original account, “The Tubbs Brothers Story.”