Gary loses final car dealership

The sole remaining car dealership in Gary has been sold, and it won’t stay in the struggling city.

The Dodge franchise was sold by Bob Nielsen and Jeff Nielsen to Isakson Chrysler in nearby Hobart, according to the Post-Tribune of Merrillville. The Nielsens have shifted parts and service operations to their Buick and Subaru dealership in Portage, also in northwest Indiana.

“These are tough, tough times, and we’re looking at it as a way to consolidate our employees into a new, state-of-the-art facility,” Jeff Nielsen told the newspaper. “We intend to continue servicing our large customer base at our Portage store.”

Gary is the state’s fifth largest city, with about 99,000 residents.