New owners at Nanaimo Chrysler

NANAIMO, B.C. – The latest facility addition for the Harris family came on a particularly poignant day.

A partnership group that includes Tony Harris and his wife Leslie, Mike Harris, Jason Neal and Craig Sabourin finalized its purchase of Neal’s Nanaimo Chrysler on Sept. 5, which was the late Tom Harris’ birthday.

Speaking to local media, Tony Harris said the deal was done in the spring before his father died.

The Nanaimo News Bulletin said the Chrysler store has been open since the 1970s.

“Both families have a lot of history in retailing and servicing automobiles to Islanders and we are both very proud of the customer service that we deliver and giving back to our communities, so our interests are aligned there,” Harris told the News Bulletin.

It has been nearly three months since the patriarch of the Harris Auto Group passed away unexpectedly.

The Vancouver Island businessman and philanthropist died after falling off a friend’s yacht while it was moored in Roche Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington State.

Authorities said Tom Harris slipped into the water in the early morning hours of June 29. Harris and his son had travelled to San Juan Island by smaller boat and were staying on the friend’s yacht.

– With files from The Nanaimo News Bulletin