Petro Nissan Celebrates 35 Years Tony Petro always had an affinity for the car business, an industry that his father, Eddie, who started selling cars in 1968, also loved. On Sept. 14, 1990, Eddie took over the Nissan store on North Main Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Petro Nissan was founded. Back then, the most popular and successful dealerships were situated on the three-block stretch known as Automotive Row. The Petro Nissan store was located just outside of that area, so Eddie ended up acquiring an Oldsmobile store so he could make the move to Automotive Row. In the 1960s, Jerome Ryan of Ryan Chevrolet was the first dealer to open shop on Automotive Row and subsequently enticed other dealers to follow suit. Eddie wanted to have the same influence, and in 1996, he decided to relocate his dealership and create a new Automotive Row in West Hattiesburg on Highway 98. “We moved out there on Labor Day of 1996, and we were the only game in town,” Tony said. “You could look in any direction and there was nothing but pine trees. The cars would come by at speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour, so we built a large storefront to attract the attention of passersby.” Now, 35 years later, Petro Nissan is as prosperous as ever, and all but two dealerships have moved to the new Automobile Row. Eddie definitely achieved what he set out to do. Over the years, Petro Nissan has retailed over 60,000 new and pre-owned vehicles. Eddie had started from nothing and made the dealership the success it is through hard work and dedication to his employees and customers. Tony took over the store in the early 2000s and has carried on his father’s legacy. “It’s all about the employees. If you take care of them, they will take care of the customers,” Tony said. “And when we don’t get things right, we step up to the plate, take responsibility for our shortcomings and make it right.” That kind of thinking has empowered employees and created loyalty 14
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