Stivers Ford

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Stivers Ford of Birmingham (formerly Adamson Motor Company and Adamson Ford) is an automobile dealership located at The Palisades shopping center in Birmingham's Glen Iris neighborhood.

The dealership was founded in 1918 by Reese Adamson on Birmingham's Southside. With his partners, A. D. Harris and Ralph Howard, Adamson moved the dealership to the remodeled Grand Theatre at 1922 2nd Avenue South in midtown in 1937.

John Israel Jr acquired the business in 1956. His son, William Israel, succeeded him as president in 1982. William's wife, Linnea Israel, managed the business after his death in 2017.

In the 1960s, Adamson Ford contracted to repair Birmingham Police Department cruisers.

The company was bought by Edward and John Stivers of St Louis, Missouri in late 2020. In 2021 Stivers bought the former Virginia College building at the Palisades and announced plans to construct a new automotive center on the site, including a Ford Trustmark showroom featuring the re-imagined Ford Bronco, as well as showrooms for the Vantas and Tiggo vehicles manufactured by the Chinese state-owned manufacturer Chery. The City of Birmingham provided up to $2.1 million in tax incentives for the project. Stivers acquired the parcel in December of that year for $6 million.

In 2022 Stivers' landlord, William Israel, sold the dealership's downtown property to a group of developers led by Dick Schmalz of RGS Properties and Scott Bryant of Cyprus Partners for $21.25 million. A grand opening for the new location at The Palisades was held on February 12, 2024. In April of the same year the dealership opened a Ford Pro Elite service center at 2941 30th Street North in Birmingham's Central City neighborhood.

With both new facilities open, the company employed about 150 people, led by general manager Manny Gonzalez.

References

  • Jibrell, Anisa (June 11, 2018) "Staff plans celebrations for dealership's centennial." Automotive News
  • "Longtime downtown car dealership under new ownership." (January 27, 2021) Birmingham Business Journal
  • Van der Bijl, Hanno (June 11, 2021) "Stivers details plans for car dealership at Palisades." Birmingham Business Journal
  • Mann, Joshua (December 6, 2021) "Stivers acquires Palisades Shopping Center space." Birmingham Business Journal
  • Parker, Illyshia (January 6, 2022) "Stivers Ford of Birmingham sold in $21M deal, developers plan mixed-use project." Birmingham Business Journal
  • Byington, Pat (February 11, 2024) "Stivers opens largest Ford dealership in Alabama at Birmingham’s Palisades Shopping Center." Bham Now

External links