Gene Reeg Motor Sales, Inc. was never just a car dealership. It was a family business built slowly, shaped by resilience, and sustained for decades by trust, work ethic, and deep community ties.
A Turning Point That Changed Everything
The story begins with Gene Reeg, who officially started the business in 1949. Before selling cars, Gene sold horses—moving from one mode of transportation to another as times changed. He recognized early that cars weren’t a passing trend. They were the future. He began with used cars, laying the groundwork for what would become a lasting presence in Columbia City.
The business truly took shape during a pivotal moment in the Reeg family’s life. While Gene’s wife, Georgia, was in the hospital giving birth to their middle child, Jana, the farmhouse the family lived in near South Whitley burned to the ground. In a matter of hours, everything they owned was gone. Faced with loss and uncertainty, Gene and Georgia had to decide how to move forward.
For a couple of years, the family lived with grandparents before purchasing a home in Columbia City. By that time, Gene had already started the used car business just a block away from where the dealership would remain for its entire history, behind what was once the movie theater. Not long after, he took over a Pontiac dealership that had only been open for about six months. It was a risk, but one that proved to be the right decision.
In the early years, Georgia Reeg was a stay-at-home mother raising three young children. That changed when the dealership’s bookkeeper left and the family realized just how much of their life was tied to the business. Gene was a natural salesman, but finances were not his strength. Georgia stepped in to manage the books and operations, a role few women held in the 1950s. She worked tirelessly, setting an example for her children and establishing herself as an essential part of the business.
A True Family Operation
From the beginning, Gene Reeg Motor Sales was a true family operation. Jana and her brother grew up working at the dealership, cleaning cars as children. For a quarter, they washed the exterior and cleaned the interior. Any loose change found inside was theirs to keep, but Gene inspected every car. If it didn’t meet his standards, the job had to be done again—without pay. It was a simple but lasting lesson in accountability and pride in one’s work.
Jana officially began working at the dealership as a teenager. Georgia entrusted her with responsibilities in the office, allowing her to work alongside her in a way no one else did. That trust became the foundation of Jana’s role in the business. After attending business school, Jana moved to Colorado for a couple of years, eager to experience something new. Georgia chose not to hire anyone else in her absence. She waited. Jana returned in December of 1968 and remained part of the business from that point forward.
Jana’s brother followed a different path, becoming a mechanic. After serving during the Vietnam era, he returned home and went to work at the dealership. While he focused on mechanical work, Jana continued learning the office side of the operation; paperwork, accounting, and the details that keep a business running. It was a steady process built on experience rather than shortcuts.
Loss, Leadership, and a New Path Forward
In 1969, tragedy struck when Gene Reeg was in a car accident and passed away from internal bleeding. He was just 54 years old. Suddenly, Georgia Reeg was left to run the business while raising a family and navigating a future she had never planned.
At the time, General Motors would not sign a dealership contract with a woman. Though never stated outright, it was the reality. Someone offered to take over the dealership, but only if they were given full control over what Gene and Georgia had built. Georgia refused. She chose to wait rather than give up the business. Within a year, policies changed, and in 1970, General Motors signed her contract. Georgia Reeg became one of the first female GM dealers in the country.
She entered a male-dominated industry where she was often the only woman in the room. She worked long hours and remained actively involved in the dealership well into her 80s, stepping away only when dementia and vision loss made it necessary.
Though known for her determination and strong leadership, Georgia also had a softer side. Granddaughter, Denise Reeg, recalls a yellow Firebird that once sat on the lot—a car that captured her attention as a teenager. Denise wanted to drive it around town, and Georgia would always ask, “What does your mom say?” Denise would say “Well…”, Georgia would pause for a moment before handing over the keys. That yellow car became a small but telling example of Georgia’s quiet kindness and trust.
Over the Decades
As the business evolved, so did the people who helped shape it. When Max Lefever joined the team, he brought more than technical skill, he brought a loyal customer following. People trusted Max, and they followed him to Gene Reeg Motor Sales. That trust allowed the dealership to expand its service work beyond GM vehicles. The name on the car mattered less than the relationship with the person driving it, and that philosophy helped the business grow while staying true to its values.
The dealership sold more than automobiles. Frigidaire refrigerators, washers, and dryers filled the showroom, alongside Sunbeam toasters and small appliances. New car show days were events in themselves, with new models hidden until the big reveal, donuts and punch served, and community members stopping by simply to look.
Over the decades, Gene Reeg Motor Sales accumulated stories that became part of local lore. In 1957, bank bandits stole $50,000 from a Fort Wayne bank and a 1957 Pontiac from the dealership to make their escape. Someone joked that they got away with “$50,104.” The story quickly became the talk of the town.
In 1988, a fire broke out in the building on a Saturday. Georgia was sitting behind the desk working and didn’t realize what was happening until a firefighter walked in and told her. The community responded immediately. People carried appliances into the street as water poured through the building. There was no hesitation—just help. That outpouring of support left a lasting impression on the family.
The building itself holds layers of history. It once housed a roller skating rink, and the third floor, added in 1913, hosted dances and gatherings, functioning almost like an opera house. Georgia loved remodeling projects and designed the apartments upstairs herself, paying close attention to details like storage and livability.
She also believed deeply in leading by example. Georgia stripped and waxed floors, washed windows, and cleaned alongside employees. If someone mistook her for the cleaning lady, she never corrected them. She simply kept working.
Employees became extended family. One mechanic, Randy Hinen, began working at the dealership at 17 and stayed until the doors closed at 63. That kind of loyalty was built over decades of mutual respect.
Some of the most cherished memories centered on the cars themselves. A 1928 Pontiac with a rumble seat became a family favorite. Jana learned to drive it, took it in parades, and always chose the rumble seat whenever possible. The dealership also preserved every original sales receipt, from 1949 to the final car sold. Customers still stop in remembering the exact car their parents purchased — the year, the color, the details. If you purchased a new car at Gene Reeg Motor Sales, Inc. you’re invited to come in and get the original sales receipt.
The Hardest Goodbye
When the decision was made to close the dealership, the response was overwhelming. Cards, flowers, cookies, and handwritten notes poured in. Customers expressed gratitude, trust, and appreciation for decades of honest service. The business had always operated on communication and transparency; no surprises, no shortcuts.
The hardest part of closing wasn’t the end of the business itself. It was the loss of daily connections. Many customers had been with Gene Reeg Motor Sales for generations. They weren’t just customers— they were family.
Gene Reeg Motor Sales was built one relationship at a time—through hard work, honesty, and showing up day after day for the people of this community. It wasn’t just a place to buy a car or have one repaired; it was a place where trust mattered and memories were made. Long after the doors have closed, the impact of that commitment lives on in the stories people still tell, the generations it served, and the values that shaped everything the Reeg family built.
If you purchased a new vehicle from Gene Reeg Motor Sales, Inc. and would like to see your original sales receipt, or if you’d like to share a memory connected to the dealership, Denise would love to hear from you. You can reach her at (260) 609-6819.
