Hoselton History | Hoselton Auto Mall Saved Vehicles

1920

In 1920, the founder of our Company, Walter Hoselton, opened a service garage in East Penfield, New York. Walter had worked for eleven years as the service foreman of one of the largest auto dealers in Monroe County at the time and had taught one of the first adult evening courses in auto mechanics in 1914. A few years later, he moved to a larger service garage at 295 Plymouth Avenue in Rochester, with more opportunity to service all makes and sell Chevrolets.
1927 – 1934

In 1927, he was offered a Chevrolet franchise for the East Rochester area and moved into temporary quarters while a new dealership building was under construction at 161 East Commercial Street in East Rochester. Business there weathered the depression with many sacrifices on the part of Walter Hoselton, and in 1934 he bought a small additional building half a block away.
1935 – 1950

Charles Hoselton, Walter’s son, started full-time in the Service Department in 1935. From 1942 thru 1945, car production was completely shut down, driving our service facilities to help keep transportation rolling. More land was acquired and in 1948, an adjoining service and parts building was constructed that doubled the dealership’s size.
1950 – 1962

Throughout the 1950’s Hoselton continued to grow and prosper after more land was acquired and a service and parts building was constructed. In 1960, Hoselton Chevrolet was offered a metropolitan Chevrolet franchise, and in 1961 the purchase of fifteen acres of land at our current location on the corner of Marsh and Fairport Roads was initiated. Hoselton Realty Company, Inc. was founded in 1962 to administer the land and building aspects of our Organization.
1964-1970

Shortly thereafter, David Hoselton became the third generation in the family to join the business. He began as a service writer in the fall of 1964, right around the time Hoselton moved into our new facilities at 909 Fairport Road in East Rochester, New York.

Hoselton Leasing Company, Inc. was formed in the fall of 1964 with the first automobiles placed into lease service early in 1965. Four years later, 7,000 square feet of parts storage were added to the complex.
1970 – 1971

In response to the increased consumer demands for more economical transportation, we added the Toyota franchise in May 1970. Toyota’s were sold out of the Hoselton Chevrolet building until a modern sales and service facility was completed and occupied by Hoselton Toyota Inc. in July 1971. One of the features of the new facility was Western New York’s first in-dealership Diagnostic Dynamometer installation.
1973-1974

In August 1973, Hoselton Leasing was expanded through acquisition of a full-time lease manager and formation of an exclusive Hoselton Leasing service department. In March of 1974, the Hoselton Foundation was created to administer our response as a Christian business to the community. Contributions to Monroe County organizations have been made each year since, on behalf of our dealership and our employees.
1974-1979

Many changes took place over the next ten years. A Datsun franchise was added in September 1975. Upon completion of a new Datsun sales and service facility, Hoselton Datsun began operations in the spring of 1976 and added AMC/Jeep in 1979.
1980-1981

Continued sales and service growth led to the first Hoselton Auto Mall expansion in the fall of 1980. In 1981, we completed our acquisition of Marsh Road frontage property and developed the import used car lot and Chevrolet truck lot. A combined truck/leasing sales and office building was completed in the fall of 1981 to better serve our customers.
1985

January 1985 was the completion date for a complete renovation and expansion of the Datsun facility. The building was enlarged to nearly double the original size to better serve our growing family of Datsun/AMC/Jeep customers. In June of 1985, Hoselton Datsun’s name was changed to Hoselton Nissan, Inc.
1991-1997

The widening of Marsh Road in 1991 led to development of new traffic entrances for the complex. This also provided the opportunity to bring our entire selection of used cars and trucks together into a new Marsh Road used vehicle lot. During 1996 and 1997, the Hoselton Auto Mall concept coincided with major renovations to the Toyota showroom. Hoselton Chevrolet renovated its service customer reception area in 1996 and began the first stages of a major collision shop upgrade.
1997-1998

In September 1997, we were awarded the Chrysler-Plymouth franchises, leading to an 8,600 square foot facility addition to house Nissan. Completed in the spring of 1998, Chrysler Plymouth Jeep occupies the former Nissan Jeep Eagle facility. This addition included a Customer Service Drive-Thru for both Nissan and Chrysler/Plymouth/Jeep.
2000-2004

Hoselton’s new collision center office and drive-in bays were completed in 2001. In late 2002 a major renovation of the Chrysler/Plymouth/Jeep facility was finalized. This improvement included remodeling the showroom, conference room, consolidated office, F&I office, customer lounge and restrooms.

Our vehicle selection grew yet again in 2004 when we added Scion to the Toyota facility as our sixth franchise, initiating more major updates to the Toyota facility.
2008

2008 proved to be a very significant year in Hoselton’s history. Early in the year, Chairman Dave Hoselton retired and his son Drew Hoselton took the reins, representing the fourth generation of the family’s dedication to providing automotive customers in the Rochester area with the very best in sales and service, as well as continuing a long tradition of giving back to the community.

Also in 2008, the Chrysler Jeep franchise was sold. But the biggest news of the year was the start of a major construction project for Hoselton Auto Mall. A 16,000 square foot addition to the former Chrysler/Nissan building was constructed, adding more service bays and customer drive-in areas. Toyota’s new showroom (formerly the Chrysler/Nissan showroom) was transformed with new service customer parking, a new customer lounge, and new corporate accounting, cashier and receptionist areas. New outdoor lighting, repaving, and new work areas for Internet sales and F&I were other components of the project. The end result: a beautiful and efficient new complex for customers and staff
2008-Present

Throughout the decade, technology played an increasingly important role at Hoselton with computer and networking advancements, an easy to use and functional website, Internet sales, Facebook account, and vehicle sales via eBay. Our success in the past, present, and future will only be the result of satisfied customers built through fair sales practices and quality service.

Hoselton History

1920

In 1920, the founder of our Company, Walter Hoselton, opened a service garage in East Penfield, New York. Walter had worked for eleven years as the service foreman of one of the largest auto dealers in Monroe County at the time and had taught one of the first adult evening courses in auto mechanics in 1914. A few years later, he moved to a larger service garage at 295 Plymouth Avenue in Rochester, with more opportunity to service all makes and sell Chevrolets.

1927 – 1934

In 1927, he was offered a Chevrolet franchise for the East Rochester area and moved into temporary quarters while a new dealership building was under construction at 161 East Commercial Street in East Rochester. Business there weathered the depression with many sacrifices on the part of Walter Hoselton, and in 1934 he bought a small additional building half a block away.

1935 – 1950

Charles Hoselton, Walter’s son, started full-time in the Service Department in 1935. From 1942 thru 1945, car production was completely shut down, driving our service facilities to help keep transportation rolling. More land was acquired and in 1948, an adjoining service and parts building was constructed that doubled the dealership’s size.

1950 – 1962

Throughout the 1950’s Hoselton continued to grow and prosper after more land was acquired and a service and parts building was constructed. In 1960, Hoselton Chevrolet was offered a metropolitan Chevrolet franchise, and in 1961 the purchase of fifteen acres of land at our current location on the corner of Marsh and Fairport Roads was initiated. Hoselton Realty Company, Inc. was founded in 1962 to administer the land and building aspects of our Organization.

1964-1970

Shortly thereafter, David Hoselton became the third generation in the family to join the business. He began as a service writer in the fall of 1964, right around the time Hoselton moved into our new facilities at 909 Fairport Road in East Rochester, New York.

Hoselton Leasing Company, Inc. was formed in the fall of 1964 with the first automobiles placed into lease service early in 1965. Four years later, 7,000 square feet of parts storage were added to the complex.

1970 – 1971

In response to the increased consumer demands for more economical transportation, we added the Toyota franchise in May 1970. Toyota’s were sold out of the Hoselton Chevrolet building until a modern sales and service facility was completed and occupied by Hoselton Toyota Inc. in July 1971. One of the features of the new facility was Western New York’s first in-dealership Diagnostic Dynamometer installation.

1973-1974

In August 1973, Hoselton Leasing was expanded through acquisition of a full-time lease manager and formation of an exclusive Hoselton Leasing service department. In March of 1974, the Hoselton Foundation was created to administer our response as a Christian business to the community. Contributions to Monroe County organizations have been made each year since, on behalf of our dealership and our employees.

1974-1979

Many changes took place over the next ten years. A Datsun franchise was added in September 1975. Upon completion of a new Datsun sales and service facility, Hoselton Datsun began operations in the spring of 1976 and added AMC/Jeep in 1979.

1980-1981

Continued sales and service growth led to the first Hoselton Auto Mall expansion in the fall of 1980. In 1981, we completed our acquisition of Marsh Road frontage property and developed the import used car lot and Chevrolet truck lot. A combined truck/leasing sales and office building was completed in the fall of 1981 to better serve our customers.

1985

January 1985 was the completion date for a complete renovation and expansion of the Datsun facility. The building was enlarged to nearly double the original size to better serve our growing family of Datsun/AMC/Jeep customers. In June of 1985, Hoselton Datsun’s name was changed to Hoselton Nissan, Inc.

1991-1997

The widening of Marsh Road in 1991 led to development of new traffic entrances for the complex. This also provided the opportunity to bring our entire selection of used cars and trucks together into a new Marsh Road used vehicle lot. During 1996 and 1997, the Hoselton Auto Mall concept coincided with major renovations to the Toyota showroom. Hoselton Chevrolet renovated its service customer reception area in 1996 and began the first stages of a major collision shop upgrade.

1997-1998

In September 1997, we were awarded the Chrysler-Plymouth franchises, leading to an 8,600 square foot facility addition to house Nissan. Completed in the spring of 1998, Chrysler Plymouth Jeep occupies the former Nissan Jeep Eagle facility. This addition included a Customer Service Drive-Thru for both Nissan and Chrysler/Plymouth/Jeep.

2000-2004

Hoselton’s new collision center office and drive-in bays were completed in 2001. In late 2002 a major renovation of the Chrysler/Plymouth/Jeep facility was finalized. This improvement included remodeling the showroom, conference room, consolidated office, F&I office, customer lounge and restrooms.

Our vehicle selection grew yet again in 2004 when we added Scion to the Toyota facility as our sixth franchise, initiating more major updates to the Toyota facility.

2008

2008 proved to be a very significant year in Hoselton’s history. Early in the year, Chairman Dave Hoselton retired and his son Drew Hoselton took the reins, representing the fourth generation of the family’s dedication to providing automotive customers in the Rochester area with the very best in sales and service, as well as continuing a long tradition of giving back to the community.

Also in 2008, the Chrysler Jeep franchise was sold. But the biggest news of the year was the start of a major construction project for Hoselton Auto Mall. A 16,000 square foot addition to the former Chrysler/Nissan building was constructed, adding more service bays and customer drive-in areas. Toyota’s new showroom (formerly the Chrysler/Nissan showroom) was transformed with new service customer parking, a new customer lounge, and new corporate accounting, cashier and receptionist areas. New outdoor lighting, repaving, and new work areas for Internet sales and F&I were other components of the project. The end result: a beautiful and efficient new complex for customers and staff.

2010

Throughout the decade, technology played an increasingly important role at Hoselton with computer and networking advancements, an easy to use and functional website, Internet sales, Facebook account, and vehicle sales via eBay. Our success in the past, present, and future will only be the result of satisfied customers built through fair sales practices and quality service.