The closure of Stark Hickey Ford was part of a larger trend in the automotive industry that saw many dealerships close their doors during the Great Recession. In the Detroit area alone, more than 200 dealerships closed between 2008 and 2010.
The closure of StarkHickey Ford was a significant blow to the local economy. The dealership employed more than 400 people and generated millions of dollars in revenue each year. The closure also left a large number of Ford customers without a local dealership to service their vehicles.
In 2011, a group of local investors purchased the former StarkHickey Ford dealership and opened a new dealership called CarMax of Auburn Hills. CarMax is a used car dealership that sells a variety of makes and models of vehicles. The new dealership is located at the same address as the former StarkHickey Ford dealership.
