Pub. 55 2014-2015 Issue 4

32 A nyone who has spent time in Parker County knows the name Whether driving down Interstate-20 where it boldly stamps five different automobile dealerships, picking up a teen from basketball practice at the high school auditorium that holds tribute, or maybe strolling through the town’s museum where the name plaques of generous donors illuminate the wall – the name Durant is etched all over the city of Weatherford. Yet, the handle didn’t always coincide with high stature. Born in Granbury, Jerry Durant was introduced to the automobile business early on, but not on the scale at which he operates today. His father, who had previously owned a wrecking yard, bought the Durant Chevrolet in Granbury in 1960. Through the years, the younger Durant helped his dad while making his way through high school and then college. Upon graduating from North Texas University, Durant didn’t take long to begin his own endeavors. “I had been back working for (my father) for a year when the dealer in Weatherford went bankrupt. I told my dad I was going to try to buy it. I was 23,” Durant said as he sat behind a large wooden desk in the original building he spoke of. Durant convinced the bank to give him a loan, and with $20,000 down and $20,000 borrowed, he was able to buy the parts and tools that were left behind and lease the building. It wasn’t until six months later that General Motors (GM) approved him as a dealer. “Usually when the dealer isn’t there, they want to get a representative as soon as possible. But I think they were wanting to check me out and see if they had any other options, because I was so young,” Durant speculated. Taking on someone else’s failed business wasn’t easy. “Back then, the checks didn’t make it to the bank as fast as they do now, and you could go float a little bit,” Durant said with a laugh. “I was selling pretty fast to keep up with everything. I look back now, and I don’t see how I made it over all that. I think the good Lord was with me.” The original dealership was near the town square. In 1973, Durant purchased seven acres east of town where he later moved the dealership. “That was back before the Interstate came through here,” he said. “It wasn’t the best topography. We cut the hill down and filled in the valley.” Today, the various brands encompass approximately 50 acres and sport the Chevy, GMC, Toyota, Cadillac, Buick and Hyundai emblems. The businesses conveniently sit just east of Weatherford and join a wide array of other commercial outlets, such as the Wal-Mart and HEB that sit on land the companies purchased from Durant. Durant’s main office boasts an array of awards and plaques. Cutting horse pictures and a sign made out of horseshoes that reads “Durant” accompany the double doors leading to his per- sonal office, which is tastefully decorated in Western décor. The foyer leads to a large conference room where the top salesmen are The Heart of a Champion Weatherford’s Jerry Durant