“We felt it was important to offer our new franchisees a proven model and actual operational experience. Wayne Lewis and his team are the MVPs nationwide in this business.” – Clyde Stutzman, Vice president of Franchising, The Premier Companies
The Premier Companies has partnered with Missouri based Auto-by-Rent to form a new division – Premier Auto by Rent – that will replace Rent-N-Ride as the company’s used car lease-to-own franchise offering. Wayne Lewis, owner of Auto by Rent, will serve as President of the franchise.
Auto by Rent currently operates four lots in Missouri and is scouting locations in Kansas City and St. Louis for a fifth. All existing stores will convert to the Premier Auto by Rent brand. The company will focus initially on expanding operations in the Midwest and Southeast.
The move ends Premier’s brief partnership with Michael Garner and SEADRA (Southeast Auto Dealers Association) that began in January 2008 (see story).
There has been interest among existing rent-to-own dealers in the RTO vehicle concept for some time. The lack of a proven and profitable franchise model made dealers reluctant to make the investment. “Michael Garner (president of Rent-N-Ride) is an extraordinary man and remains a wonderful friend of ours,” said Clyde Stutzman, Vice president of Franchising for The Premier Companies. “But we felt it was important to offer our new franchisees a proven model and actual operational experience. Wayne Lewis and his team are the MVPs nationwide in this business.”
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Photo: RTO Online.