Palatine gains another used-car business
Used-car businesses continue to grow in Palatine.
Village council members Monday night granted a special-use permit allowing Mullins Used Cars Inc. to operate in a building at 2017 N. Rand Road, between City Limits Harley-Davidson and the Auto Alliance used vehicle dealership. It also will be near Arlington Toyota.
With the approval of Mullins, Palatine has gained at least four used-car businesses since last fall.
Troy Mullins, who will run the business owned by his wife, Wilma Diaz, said he expects to open in about mid-June. Plans call for an average 30 to 50 cars available for purchase at any given time.
Customer service will be a core element of the operation, Mullins said after gaining the village council approval.
"I've been tired of seeing how some people actually run (used-car) dealerships and, I guess, mistreat a lot of people," said Mullins, an auto industry veteran. "We actually - between (my wife) and her brother and me together - we have a chance to maybe try to change that a little bit, the way people look at used-car dealerships."
Auto Land Group Inc. took over for Auto Amigos at 2240 N. Rand Road. To the south, Carromatic is operating on Rand at Hicks Road just north of where Mullins Used Cars intends to open.
In addition, a used-car operation owned by Tony and Fino D'Agostaro was approved for at 1494 W. Northwest Hwy. at North Doe Road. The D'Agostaro family was the longtime owner of a Jaguar dealership that closed in Palatine in early 2017.
Village Manager Reid Ottesen said Mullins Used Cars will be in a good spot in the Rand Road business corridor.
"We know it is a place that people choose to go for their car shopping," Ottesen said. "This is kind of a natural fit because it's right by another new car dealer and has been used previously for used cars, so it's set up for that."
Up to five full-time employees are projected for Mullins Used Cars. The hours are expected to be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and closed Sundays.