The Tubbs Brothers Story

By Dave Tubbs

From Humble Beginnings to More Than 70 Years of Serving Michigan’s Thumb

More Than 70 Years in the Making

Every family business has a story. Ours begins with two brothers, a struggling automobile dealership, and a determination to succeed against some pretty long odds. For more than 70 years, Tubbs Brothers has been part of the Sandusky community. Through changing times, changing automobiles, and changing generations, we have remained committed to hard work, personal service, and treating customers like neighbors. Today we offer Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles, along with service, parts, and collision repair. But the story of how we got here is about much more than cars and trucks.

Where It All Began

Around 1948, my grandfather Clarence King and his partner Vic Condon obtained a Chrysler-Plymouth franchise in Sandusky, Michigan. After World War II, automobiles were in short supply, and the opportunity looked promising. Clarence had worked for General Motors managing a parts warehouse in Flint. The partners built a dealership with a small showroom and service area at 103 West Sanilac Road. Its distinctive curved front was admired for its modern design. They also sold Gulf gasoline and appliances, which was fairly common then.

As the family story goes, my grandfather took my grandmother on a month-long vacation to California. When they returned, his partner was gone — and so was the money. Clarence invested what he could to save the business, but eventually the bills caught up with him. That is when two young brothers saw an opportunity.

Donald and Cecil Tubbs: Two Brothers Who Knew Hardship

My father Donald and his older brother Cecil grew up poor. Their father, Edward Tubbs, died when Donald was six and Cecil was thirteen. Cecil became the family’s de facto breadwinner, and their mother took in laundry to help pay the bills.

Donald contracted scarlet fever and developed osteomyelitis, a serious bone infection. A concerned citizen helped arrange treatment at the University of Michigan, where he spent many months. Travel to Ann Arbor was difficult and the family had little money, so nurses wrote his mother regularly with updates.

Cecil later served in the United States Navy during World War II and saved some money from his service. Donald attended Detroit Tech, pursuing a pharmacy degree while selling cars to pay his way through college. By the time Clarence’s dealership was in trouble, Cecil was running its service department and Donald was selling cars. Donald would later become Clarence King’s son-in-law.

A Dealership Is Born — 1954

Donald and Cecil applied to Chrysler Corporation to take over the franchise. Chrysler declined: they were young and had limited financial resources. Instead of giving up, they arranged to recapitalize the business and operate under Clarence King’s existing franchise.

A local businessman, Robert Cork, loaned them money. Dad later remembered seeing the same faces when he visited Mr. Cork’s office to make payments; eventually he realized Cork was financing many local people. Dad also recalled that the business did not have to make mortgage payments for a period in those early years. Rather than spend the money, the brothers set it aside.

After a couple of years they had shown the business could succeed. In 1954, Chrysler awarded Donald and Cecil Tubbs the Chrysler-Plymouth franchise. Donald was only 25, one of the youngest dealers in the country at the time, and Cecil was 32. Tubbs Brothers was officially in business.

Buying Cars in Detroit — And Hiding the Money

In those days, when Dad sold a used car, he might drive to Detroit to buy another. He carried cash to pay for the vehicle, so he and Cecil devised a secret hiding place in their car. Only the two brothers knew where it was.

Years later, Mom sometimes called me when Dad was late coming home. Once I found him looking at an old Chrysler. Eventually I realized it was the same model he had used for those Detroit trips. Apparently some memories never leave you.

The Dodge Years and the Muscle-Car Era

In 1960, Chrysler granted Tubbs Brothers the Dodge franchise. This expanded our selection and gave us trucks to sell — especially important in a farming community. Trucks were mainly work vehicles back then, unlike the everyday transportation many have become today.

As a teenager I loved seeing the Barracudas, Road Runners, and GTXs with their big V8 engines. When I went to work after school on Mondays, there were often cars in the shop with damaged engines and drivetrains after a weekend of street racing. Snover Road was nicknamed “Snover Dragway” because it was a popular spot for grudge matches. Those were different times.

How Tubbs Brothers Became a Ford Dealer

Sandusky had been home to several Ford dealerships. Bill Brown Ford, which became one of the country’s largest Ford dealers, started in Sandusky. I even grew up next to a member of the Brown family; Mr. Brown had a horse-trotting track beside our home.

After the Browns left for Livonia, several Ford dealers came and went. One day a young Ford representative, Phil Novell, proposed that Dad drop Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge and become a Ford dealer. Dad and Cecil were loyal to Chrysler. Dad declined, but said we would add Ford if both manufacturers could be sold under one roof.

After repeated visits, Phil persuaded Ford to agree. In 1970, Tubbs Brothers added the Ford-Mercury franchise. Phil Novell later became General Sales Manager of the Ford Division. That unusual multi-brand arrangement helped shape the dealership we are today.

A New Home for Tubbs Brothers

By 1974, we had outgrown the original downtown location. Plans began for a modern facility two miles west of Sandusky on M-46. The economy faltered and construction was halted for about a year, but in 1976 we finally moved into our new building.

We had 13 employees then. Today, the dealership has grown to approximately 65. The new location gave us the space to expand our operations and services.

Growing to Meet Our Customers’ Needs

Over the years we added a separate body shop, a used-car facility, and later a larger collision repair center when the original shop became too small. In 2020, we expanded our detailing operations and opened a medium-duty repair facility.

Our medium-duty facility can lift vehicles weighing up to 50,000 pounds and accommodate high-roof commercial vehicles such as Ford Transit and Ram ProMaster vans. We can work on school buses, commercial vehicles, and other equipment that many conventional dealership shops cannot safely accommodate. We have continued to invest in the people, equipment, and facilities our customers need.

When You Buy From Tubbs Brothers, You Get a Whole Dealership

Today, customers can compare Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles under one roof. But our commitment extends beyond selling a vehicle. Our sales and finance teams help customers find and purchase the right vehicle; our parts and service teams help keep it on the road; our collision center helps when accidents happen; and our commercial service facilities support local businesses and fleets.

We want to earn your business at the time of purchase and keep earning your trust for years afterward. The relationship should not end when you drive off the lot.

Our Community Is Part of Our Story

For more than seven decades, Sandusky and the surrounding communities have supported Tubbs Brothers. Our employees are our neighbors. They raise families here, shop locally, and contribute to the schools, organizations, and causes that make Sanilac County special.

We believe a locally owned dealership should do more than sell and service vehicles. It should be a positive part of the community that made its success possible.

More Than 70 Years Later, the Values Remain

The industry has changed dramatically since Donald and Cecil took over that struggling Chrysler-Plymouth dealership. Vehicles, technology, and the way people shop have all changed. But the principles behind Tubbs Brothers are still simple: work hard, treat people fairly, keep your word, stand behind what you sell, and remember the people who helped you succeed.

My father and uncle started with very little and built something that has endured for generations. I am proud of that history, proud of our employees, and grateful to the thousands of customers who have trusted us over the years. There is much more to tell, and we look forward to sharing it.

Thank you for being part of our story.

Tubbs Brothers — Family Owned. Community Driven. Since 1954.