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Sonic Automotive

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Sonic Automotive is a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, North Carolina , and is the fifth largest automotive retailer in the United States as measured by total revenues. The company was founded by O Bruton Smith and completed its initial public offering on the NYSE in 1997.

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64-527: Sonic Automotive operates in 24 states with more than 100 dealerships representing over 25 different brands of automobiles . The dealerships market new and used cars, replacement parts and vehicle maintenance, as well as collision repair services. Sonic Automotive was launched as a public company in November 1997 by O Bruton Smith . At the time, the company had 20 stores, representing 15 brands and several hundred employees. The Smith family holds over 30% of

128-688: A Single House, it being 18 miles and very dirty." Owen's Ordinary was a small rest stop on Rock Creek Main Road (later the Rockville Pike), which stretched from George Town to Frederick Town, and was then one of the largest thoroughfares in the colony of Maryland. On September 6, 1776, the Maryland Constitutional Convention agreed to a proposal introduced by Thomas Sprigg Wootton wherein Frederick County,

192-523: A commercial shopping center. The shopping center, named Congressional Plaza, opened in 1958. These new areas provided affordable housing and grew quickly with young families eager to start their lives following World War II . During the Cold War , it was considered safer to remain in Rockville than to evacuate during a hypothetical nuclear attack on Washington, D.C. Bomb shelters were built, including

256-482: A government funded urban renewal program. This resulted in the demolition of most of the original business district. Included in the plan was the unsuccessful Rockville Mall , which failed to attract either major retailers or customers and was demolished in 1994, various government buildings such as the new Montgomery County Judicial Center, and a reorganization of the road plan near the Courthouse. Unfortunately,

320-427: A median income of $ 53,764 versus $ 38,788 for females. In 2015, the per capita income for the city was $ 49,399. 7.8% of the population and 5.6% of families were below the poverty line . Out of the total population, 8.9% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. As of the census of 2010, there were 61,209 people, 23,686 households, and 15,524 families residing in

384-473: A showroom, mechanical service, and body repair facilities, as well as to provide storage for used and new vehicles. Many dealerships are located out of town or on the edge of town centers. An example of a traditional single proprietorship car dealership was Collier Motors in North Carolina. Many modern dealerships are now part of corporate-owned chains with hundreds of locations. Dealership profits in

448-499: A small, unincorporated town, early Rockville was known by a variety of names, including Owen's Ordinary, Hungerford's Tavern, and Daley's Tavern. The first recorded mention of the settlement later known as Rockville dates to the Braddock Expedition in 1755. On April 14, one of the approximately 2,000 men who were accompanying General Braddock through wrote the following: "we marched to larance Owings or Owings Oardianary,

512-465: A surveyor to lay out much of the town. In his honor, many took to calling the town Williamsburg. In practice, however, Williamsburg and Montgomery Court House were used interchangeably. Rockville came to greater prominence when Montgomery County was created and later when George Town was ceded to the federal government to create the District of Columbia . A proposal to name the town Wattsville, after

576-765: A variety of channels, including mail order, department stores, and traveling representatives. For example, Sears made its first attempt at selling a gasoline-engined chain-drive high-wheeler in 1908 through its mail-order catalog and starting in 1951 the Allstate through select its stores and the catalog. Fred Koller opened the first dedicated car dealership in 1889. Known as the Reading Automobile Company, Koller sold cars manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio at his dealership in Reading, Pennsylvania. This

640-742: Is Interstate 270 . I-270 is the main highway leading northwest out of metropolitan Washington, D.C., beginning at Interstate 495 (the Capital Beltway) and proceeding northwestward to Interstate 70 in Frederick . Maryland Route 355 was the precursor to I-270 and follows a parallel route, and now serves as the main commercial roadway through Rockville and neighboring communities. Other state highways serving Rockville directly include Maryland Route 28 , Maryland Route 189 , Maryland Route 586 , Maryland Route 660 and Maryland Route 911 . Interstate 370 and Maryland Route 200 do not directly enter

704-1528: Is Monique Ashton. Rockville was incorporated in 1860, but its early records were destroyed by Confederate soldiers in July 1864. Past mayors of Rockville include: Rockville was a four-member City Council , whose members, along with the mayor, serve as the governing body of the city. In 2023, the City Council voted to expand the Council from four members to six, along with the mayor. The six councilmembers are Kate Fulton, Adam Van Grack, Izola (Zola) Shaw, David Myles, Marissa Valeri, and Barry Jackson. Rockville has 26 boards and commissions: Animal Matters Board, Board of Appeals, Board of Supervisors of Elections, Charter Review Commission, Community Policing Advisory Board, Compensation Commission, Cultural Arts Commission, Environment Commission, Ethics Commission, Financial Advisory Board, Historic District Commission, Human Rights Commission, Human Services Advisory Commission, Landlord-Tenant Affairs Commission, Personnel Appeals Board, Planning Commission, Recreation and Park Advisory Board, Retirement Board, Rockville Economic Development Inc. (REDI), Rockville Housing Enterprises, Rockville Recreation and Parks Foundation, Rockville Seniors Inc. (RSI), Rockville Sister City Corporation, Senior Citizens Commission, Sign Review Board, and Traffic and Transportation Commission. Boards and commissions allows members of

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768-600: Is part of the Washington metropolitan area . The 2020 census tabulated Rockville's population at 67,117, making it the fourth-largest incorporated city in Maryland. Rockville, along with neighboring Gaithersburg and Bethesda , is at the core of the Interstate 270 Technology Corridor which is home to numerous software and biotechnology companies as well as several federal government institutions. The city, one of

832-675: Is permitted, Mercedes-Benz opened city centre brand stores. Tesla Motors has rejected the dealership sales model based on the idea that dealerships do not properly explain the advantages of their cars, and they could not rely on third-party dealerships to handle their sales. However, in the United States, direct manufacturer auto sales are prohibited in almost every state by franchise laws requiring that new cars be sold only by dealers. In response, Tesla has opened city centre galleries where prospective customers can view cars that can only be ordered online. These stores were inspired by

896-404: Is thought to be the first dealership dedicated solely to selling cars—meaning it hadn’t initially been established to sell horse-drawn carriages. Today, direct sales by an automaker to consumers are limited by most states in the U.S. through franchise laws that require new cars to be sold only by licensed and bonded, independently owned dealerships. The first woman car dealer in the United States

960-438: Is used to move vehicles from the factory to the dealerships. This includes international and domestic shipping. It was largely a commercial activity conducted by manufacturers, dealers, and brokers. Internet use has encouraged this niche service to expand and reach the general consumer marketplace. Rockville, Maryland Rockville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland , United States, and

1024-461: The Apple Stores . Tesla's model was the first of its kind, and has given them unique advantages as a new car company. In economic theory, car dealerships can be characterized as franchisees and the automobile manufacturers as franchisors. A franchise relationship can be beneficial to both parties, as the franchisee can sell a well-made and attractive product while the franchisor can rely on

1088-634: The Land Rover and Jaguar stores brought Sonic to 173 franchises and 37 collision repair centers. Sonic halted its acquisition strategy during the Great Recession , but returned to acquiring new locations in order to drive growth in 2013. In November 2014, Sonic traded one of its Don Massey Cadillac locations in Lone Tree, CO, to the Denver -based John Elway Automotive Group in exchange for

1152-781: The Maryland General Assembly incorporated the village on March 10, 1860. During the American Civil War , General George B. McClellan stayed at the Beall Dawson house in 1862. In addition, General J.E.B. Stuart and an army of 8,000 Confederate cavalrymen marched through and occupied Rockville on June 28, 1863, while on their way to Gettysburg and stayed at the Prettyman house. Jubal Anderson Early also crossed through Rockville on his way to and from his 1864 attack on Washington . In 1913, on

1216-848: The Maryland Transit Administration ICC Bus and the Baltimore Light Rail . Ride On buses provides service within the city and to places within the county like Gaithersburg , Clarksburg and Silver Spring . The city is served by the Rockville City Police Department and is aided by the Montgomery County Police Department as directed by the relevant authorities. Rockville has two sister cities : Rockville's sister city relationship with Yilan City gained notoriety as diplomats from

1280-549: The Oklahoma City market with the purchase of Boyd Chevrolet and Steve Bailey Honda . In 2002, Sonic acquired the sixteen-location Michigan-based Don Massey Dealerships. This brought the company to 134 total locations, making it the second-largest automotive retailer at the time. The acquisition also brought Sonic to 23 total Cadillac dealerships, representing between 5-7% of the brand's total revenue. In July 2003, Sonic agreed to purchase eighteen dealerships, including

1344-712: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is in Rockville. Private schools located near Rockville (with Rockville postal addresses) include: Montrose Christian School in North Bethesda has closed. The Montgomery College (MC) , main campus is located within Rockville and enrolls more than 15,000 students as of March 2019. The college is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools . Additional institutions of higher education in Rockville include

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1408-575: The Tennallytown and Rockville Railway inaugurated Rockville's first trolley service connecting to the Georgetown and Tennallytown Railway terminus at Western Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue. The newly opened railroad provided service from Georgetown to Rockville, connecting Rockville to Washington, D.C., by trolley. Trolley service operated for four decades, until, eclipsed by the growing usage of

1472-505: The Twinbrook station began service on December 15, 1984. Metrobus service was supplemented by Montgomery County's own Ride On bus service starting in 1979. MARC , Maryland's Rail Commuter service, serves Rockville with its Brunswick line. From Rockville MARC provides service to Washington Union Station in Washington D.C. (southbound), and Frederick and Martinsburg, West Virginia (northbound), as well as intermediate points. Amtrak ,

1536-617: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 13.57 square miles (35.15 km ), of which 13.51 square miles (34.99 km ) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km ) is water. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system Rockville has a humid subtropical climate , abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. According to

1600-497: The United States Department of Agriculture , Rockville is in hardiness zone 7a, meaning that the average annual minimum winter temperature is 0 to 5 °F (−18 to −15 °C). The average first frost occurs on October 21, and the average final frost occurs on April 16. The median income for a household in the city as of 2020 was $ 111,797. As of 2007, the median income for a family was $ 98,257. Males had

1664-957: The University of Maryland Global Campus (main campus is in Adelphi, Maryland ), the Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus (main campus is in Baltimore ), and the Universities at Shady Grove , a collaboration of nine Maryland public degree-granting institutions, all with Rockville addresses but outside the city limits. The Rockville Memorial Library is available to the residents of Rockville. The Rockville Memorial Library offers services for residents and visitors to access books, databases, newspapers, magazines, and internet access. The most prominent highway directly serving Rockville

1728-779: The automobile , service was halted in August 1935. The Blue Ridge Transportation Company provided bus service for Rockville and Montgomery County from 1924 through 1955. After 1955, Rockville would not see a concerted effort to develop a public transportation infrastructure until the 1970s, when the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) began work to extend the Washington Metro into Rockville and extended Metrobus service into Montgomery County. The Rockville station of Washington Metro began service on July 25, 1984, and

1792-664: The European Commission determined that it was anticompetitive for car manufacturers to prohibit dealers from carrying multiple car brands. Car manufacturers in the European Union are increasingly shifting towards selling cars directly to customers without reliance on independent dealers. Volvo has announced plans to sell all vehicles directly to customers by 2030. Multibrand and multi-maker car dealers sell cars from different and independent carmakers. Some are specialized in electric vehicles . Auto transport

1856-406: The European Union, car manufacturers were permitted from 1985 to 2006 to enter into contracts with car dealerships that restricted what kinds of cars that dealers were permitted to sell. Car manufacturers were able "to impose qualitative, quantitative and geographical restrictions on supply by selling their cars only through a limited number of dealers bound by strict franchise agreements." In 2006,

1920-714: The John Elway Chevrolet location and the associated real estate. The trade came about as a way for the brand to acquire a strong-performing Chevrolet franchise, as well as a plot of land beside the dealership on which the new Murray Imports BMW location could be built. Sonic purchased the four AutoMatch USA used car locations in Florida and Georgia in 2016. These locations were re-branded under Sonic's EchoPark brand. In October 2017, Sonic sold its Capitol Chevrolet & Hyundai franchise in Columbia, SC to

1984-667: The Momentum Automotive Group in Houston, Texas. Sonic's presence in the Houston area had traditionally been with domestic brands, but the acquisition of Momentum added BMW , Jaguar and Audi brands to the companies portfolio. This sale also represented the first direct acquisition of a Saturn franchise by a retail automotive group, with the purchase of two Bay Area Saturn stores. Sonic purchased two dealerships from PPE Houston in January 2007. The acquisition of

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2048-726: The Ourisman Auto Group, to manage the locations. The Honda location in Vienna, Virginia , has been renamed Ourisman Honda of Tysons Corner. In December 2021, Sonic acquired RFJ Auto Partners, a top-15 dealership group with approximately $ 3.2 billion in total annual revenues, adding 33 locations in six states to the Sonic Automotive portfolio. Sonic acquired two franchises throughout 2022, the first being Sun Chevrolet in Chittenango, New York coming in January, and

2112-427: The Rockville area were obtained by Arthur Nelson between 1717 and 1735. Within three decades, the first permanent buildings in what would become the center of Rockville were established on this land. Still a part of Prince George's County at this time, the growth of Daniel Dulaney's Frederick Town prompted the separation of the western portion of the county, including Rockville, into Frederick County in 1748. Being

2176-702: The Stivers Automotive Group. In May 2018, Sonic sold its Lone Star Ford franchise in Houston, TX to the Doggett Auto Group. The store was renamed Doggett Ford and moved into a new facility alongside Doggett's John Deere equipment dealership. Sonic sold two dealerships to Graham Holdings in February 2019. The Lexus of Rockville store was renamed Ourisman Lexus of Rockville, as Graham has partnered with Chris Ourisman, president of

2240-544: The US mainly come from servicing , some from used cars , and little from new cars. Most automotive manufacturers have shifted the focus of their franchised retailers to branding and technology. New or refurbished facilities are required to have a standard look for their dealerships and have product experts to liaise with customers. Audi has experimented with a hi-tech showroom that allows customers to configure and experience cars on 1:1 scale digital screens. In markets where it

2304-716: The birthday of Jefferson Davis , the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected a statue near the Rockville courthouse dedicated to Confederate soldiers from Montgomery County. The monument was removed in 2017 as part of a wave of removals of Confederate monuments and memorials in response to the 2015 Charleston church shooting , and is now located in White's Ferry . In 1873, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad arrived, making Rockville easily accessible from Washington, D.C. ( See Metropolitan Branch . ) In July 1891,

2368-440: The city's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Rockville has a council-manager form of government. In November 2023, Rockville voted in the 67th election for Mayor and Council with voters electing Monique Ashton as mayor. Six councilmembers were also elected: Kate Fulton, Adam Van Grack, Izola (Zola) Shaw, David Myles, Marissa Valeri, and Barry Jackson. The current mayor of Rockville

2432-530: The city, but pass just outside the city limits. The Washington Metro Red Line rail system can be accessed at Rockville station and Twinbrook station . The Brunswick Line of the MARC commuter rail system runs to and from Washington, D.C. , and can be accessed at Rockville Station. Amtrak trains also serve Rockville. Bus service connects Rockville directly to the regional transit hub at Baltimore–Washington International Airport , and to downtown Baltimore via

2496-430: The city. The population density was 4,530.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,749.3/km ). There were 25,199 housing units at an average density of 1,865.2 per square mile (720.2/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 60.4% White (52.8% non-Hispanic white), 9.6% African American , 0.3% Native American , 20.6% Asian , 5.3% from other races , and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.3% of

2560-758: The community to partner with city staff to shape Rockville's future by sharing expertise and advising the Mayor and Council. Rockville is served by the Montgomery County Public Schools system. Public high schools in Rockville include Thomas S. Wootton High School , Richard Montgomery High School , and Rockville High School . Prior to integration in 1961, black students were educated at George Washington Carver High School in Rockville. The John L. Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents provides education for children with special educational needs. St. Elizabeth Catholic School of

2624-503: The creation of new dealerships to compete with incumbent dealerships. Economists have characterized these regulations as a form of rent-seeking that extracts rents from manufacturers of cars, increases costs for consumers, and limits entry of new car dealerships while raising profits for incumbent car dealers. Research shows that as a result of these laws, retail prices for cars are higher than they otherwise would be. The early cars were sold by automakers to customers directly or through

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2688-476: The franchisee to incur downstream costs and use its local relationships to sell more products and services. The franchisor can act opportunistically by imposing constraints and burden on the franchisee after the latter has incurred sunk costs , such as investing in physical assets and building up a reputation with customers. The franchisor could for example require that cars be sold at low prices, services be performed for little compensation. The franchisee could on

2752-437: The largest and most populous county in Maryland, would be divided into three smaller subdivisions. The southern portion of the county, of which Rockville was a part, was named Montgomery County. The most populous and prosperous urban center in this new county was George Town, but its location at the far southern edge rendered it worthless as a seat of local government. Rockville, a small but centrally located and well-traveled town,

2816-434: The largest one at Glenview Mansion and 15 other locations. The I-270 highway was designated as an emergency aircraft landing strip. Two Nike missile launcher sites were located on Muddy Branch and Snouffer School Roads until the mid-1970s. From the 1960s, Rockville's town center, formerly one of the area's commercial centers, suffered from a period of decline. Rockville soon became the first city in Maryland to enter into

2880-769: The latter of these two areas and is presently the second home of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra , and the Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville Civic Center Park has provided diverse entertainment since 1960. In 1998, Regal Cinemas opened in Town Center and the city annexed 900 acres of land. The city also has a brass band in the British style . The R.E.M. song " (Don't Go Back To) Rockville ", released in 1984,

2944-619: The major retail hubs in Montgomery County, has several upscale regional shopping centers. Situated in the Piedmont region and crossed by three creeks ( Rock Creek , Cabin John Creek , and Watts Branch ), Rockville provided an excellent refuge for semi- nomadic Native Americans as early as 8000 BC. By the first millennium BC , a few of these groups had settled down into year-round agricultural communities that exploited

3008-548: The majority of these original inhabitants had been driven away. The indigenous population carved a path on the high ground, known as Sinequa Trail, which is now downtown Rockville. Later, the Maryland Assembly set the standard of 20 feet for main thoroughfares and designated the Rock Creek Main Road or Great Road to be built to this standard. In the mid-18th century, Lawrence Owen opened a small inn on

3072-604: The market, such as Tesla , have been restricted by this model and have either been forced out or been forced to work around the franchise model, facing constant legal pressure. According to a 2023 survey by the Sierra Club, two-thirds of US car dealerships did not have electric or hybrid vehicles for sale. Reasons for this include supply chain difficulties, as well as a need for car dealers to make substantial investments in new employee training and infrastructure to be able to sell, service and maintain electric vehicles. In

3136-410: The national passenger rail system, provides service from Rockville to Chicago and Washington D.C. The mid-20th century saw substantial growth in Rockville, especially with the annexation of the Twinbrook subdivision in 1949, which added hundreds of new homes and thousands of new residents to the city. In 1954, Congressional Airport closed, and its land was sold to developers to build residences and

3200-549: The native flora, including sunflowers and marsh elder. By AD 1200, these early groups (dubbed Montgomery Indians by later archaeologists ) were increasingly drawn into conflict with the Senecas and Susquehannocks who had migrated south from Pennsylvania and New York . Within the present-day boundaries of the city, six prehistoric sites have been uncovered and documented, along with numerous artifacts several thousand years old. By 1700, under pressure from European colonists,

3264-402: The nearby Watts Branch, failed because the stream was later considered too small to give its name to the town. On July 16, 1803, when the area was officially entered into the county land records with the name "Rockville", derived from Rock Creek. Nevertheless, the name Montgomery Court House continued to appear on maps and other documents through the 1820s. By petition of Rockville's citizens,

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3328-537: The once-promising plan was for the most part a disappointment. Although efforts to restore the town center continue, the majority of the city's economic activity has since relocated along Rockville Pike (MD Route 355/Wisconsin Avenue). In 2004, Rockville Mayor Larry Giammo announced plans to renovate the Rockville Town Square, including building new stores and housing and relocating the city's library. In

3392-614: The other hand act opportunistically by using its local monopoly to perform poor customer service, charge customers more and pass those unnecessarily high costs to the franchisor. Car dealerships have lobbied for regulations that increase the survival and profitability of car dealerships: Economists have characterized these laws as a form of rent-seeking that extracts rents from manufacturers of cars and increases costs for consumers of cars while raising profits for car dealers. Multiple studies have shown that regulations that protect car dealerships increase car costs for consumers and limit

3456-614: The past year, the new Rockville Town Center has been transformed and includes a number of boutique-like stores, restaurants, condominiums and apartments, as well as stages, fountains and the Rockville Library. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 's headquarters is just south of the city's corporate limits. The city is closely associated with the neighboring towns of Kensington and the unincorporated census-designated place , North Bethesda . The Music Center at Strathmore , an arts and theater center, opened in February 2005 in

3520-439: The population. There were 23,686 households, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

3584-752: The profitability of manufacturers. The issuance of new dealership licenses is subject to geographical restriction; if there is already a dealership for a company in an area, no one else can open one. This has led to dealerships becoming in essence hereditary, with families running dealerships in an area since the original issuance of their license with no fear of competition or any need to prove qualification or consumer benefit (beyond proving they meet minimum legal standards), as franchises in most jurisdictions can only be withdrawn for illegal activity and no other reason. This has led to consumer campaigns for establishment or reform, which have been met by huge lobbying efforts by franchise holders. New companies trying to enter

3648-431: The road. The place, known as Owen's Ordinary, took on greater prominence when, on April 14, 1755, Major General Edward Braddock stopped at Owen's Ordinary on a start of a mission from George Town (now Washington, D.C.) to press British claims of the western frontier. The location of the road, near the present Rockville Pike, was strategically located on higher ground, making it dry year-round. The first land patents in

3712-783: The second, Audi Owings Mills coming aboard in August. Dealerships A car dealership , or car dealer , is a business that sells new or used cars , at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary . Car dealerships also often sell spare parts and automotive maintenance services . In the United States, car dealerships have historically been an important source of state and local sales taxes. They have considerable political influence and have lobbied for regulations that guarantee their survival and profitability. By 2010, all US states had laws that prohibited manufacturers from side-stepping independent car dealerships and selling cars directly to consumers. By 2009, most states imposed restrictions on

3776-813: The stores. The first EchoPark location opened in the Thornton area of Denver, Colorado in 2014. A location in Centennial was later opened along with a store in Colorado Springs . In September 2017, EchoPark purchased driversselect, a Dallas area dealership, which is now part of the EchoPark brand. EchoPark Automotive operates in 21 states across the United States with over 40 locations as of September 2021. EchoPark facilities are constructed with sustainable building technologies and some locations are LEED certified. In 2001, Sonic made its entrance into

3840-543: The total shares outstanding but has over 80% of the voting power because of a dual-class structure with Super-voting stock . Sonic ranked 300th on the 2022 Fortune 500 list. The company also is a member of the Russell 2000 Index. Sonic Automotive owns EchoPark Automotive, a used car dealership chain also based in Charlotte. EchoPark allows customers to look up competitors' prices on mobile devices located throughout

3904-453: Was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08. The median age in the city was 38.7 years. And 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female. Choice Hotels , Westat , and Bethesda Softworks / ZeniMax Media are headquartered in Rockville. According to

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3968-490: Was Rachel "Mommy" Krouse who in 1903 opened her business, Krouse Motor Car Company, in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . The number of car dealerships in the US peaked in 1927 at 53,125 and steadily decreased over the next decades. By 1960, there were 33, 658 dealerships; by 1980, 23,379; and by 2001, 22,007. Car dealerships are usually franchised to sell and service vehicles by specific companies. They are often located on properties offering enough room to have buildings housing

4032-409: Was chosen as the seat. At the time, Rockville did not have a name; it was generally called Hungerford's Tavern, after the well-known tavern in it. After being named the county seat, the village was referred to by all as Montgomery Court House. The tavern served as the county courthouse, and it held its first such proceedings on May 20, 1777. In 1784, William Prather Williams, a local landowner, hired

4096-416: Was written by Mike Mills about not wanting his girlfriend Ingrid Schorr to return to Rockville, Maryland. In 1975, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald 's caskets were reinterred at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rockville, Maryland where his father, Edward, and a number of Key family members had been buried. Historic structures on the Register in and around downtown Rockville are: According to

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