Reflections on a Lifetime in the Car Industry

Words by Boogie Franklin | Images by Ryan McGill

Selling cars is in my blood. My uncle, Ted Franklin, opened Franklin Motor Company in Jasper prior to 1941. My dad was Buddy and he and three of his brothers, Joe Bob, Buck, and Ted, worked for Franklin Motor Company. For a time, we were the oldest Pontiac dealer in the state of Alabama, and we also sold Buicks, GMCs, and Cadillacs. I started washing cars at the lots when I was 14 years old, and I made $18 a week!

When I graduated from Samford University, I worked as an accountant for Ernst & Ernst in Birmingham for three years, but I just knew it wasn’t for me. I wanted to sell cars and be around people. I came back to Jasper and worked at Franklin and eventually, it was my dealership.

My dad died in 2007 and I sold Franklin Motor Company to my good friend Jim Cannon at Carl Cannon Chevrolet. I knew he was someone I could work for. I like how he does business and how he treats his employees. It is now 2022 and I am still there.

People often ask me why I don’t retire. In January 2022, I celebrated being in this business for 51 years. I always say, what would I do if retired? I make friends doing this job, and I enjoy coming to work every day. I have time off and I hunt and fish when I want.

My dad always told me, “don’t tell a story,” and I’ve lived with that motto my whole life. Just tell people the truth and be up front about things.

So much of my car sales business is repeat and referral customers. I have people that have bought more than 20 cars from me! I have been blessed and so fortunate and I appreciate all my customers and the opportunity to be a part of the Carl Cannon dealership. 78