Can Cannon Nissan Revive I-20 Corridor?

Courtesy Wrijoya Roy

Hinds County Supervisor Peggy Calhoun, right, and Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., left, joined Michael Joe Cannon to cut the ribbon on his new Nissan dealership Wednesday.

by Will Caves

Michael Joe Cannon sees opportunity to revive business in the Interstate 20 corridor that parallels Raymond Road in Jackson, recently backing up his beliefs by opening a new Nissan dealership near the former Deuce McAlister Nissan, which closed last year.

"The Nissan brand is the best brand you can have," Cannon told the Jackson Free Press. His new franchise is the second Nissan site in Mississippi that has opened in the past year, bringing with it approximately 50 new jobs. "The hill here is a great spot. It's always sold cars, and it will continue to do so."

"Even as businesses were leaving South State Street, that area has been a good location," said Benjie Barham, director of business development for the Hinds County Economic Development District. "It's visible, and the traffic count is certainly high in relation to many other areas."

Cannon, owner of numerous new and used car dealerships in the state, cut the ribbon on his new dealership March 10, and says he is optimistic about the future of his new business.

Despite the recent recalls of competitor Toyota, Cannon believes that his dealership will flourish in an industry that has seen steady decline, mirroring the economic downturn.

"The problem with Toyota (recalls) isn't good for any of us," Cannon said. "We've seen some growth in sales, but when one dealer has trouble, it affects everyone. In this market, we've got to make the most of what we have. When you've got a brand like Nissan with a facility like this and first-class employees, there's no way you can fail."

Nissan suffered its own recall problems this month. The company has asked customers to bring in 540,000 cars for fuel gauge and brake-pin problems on the Nissan Titan, Armada, Quest and Infiniti QX56 from model years 2008 to 2010. Fuel-gauge problem vehicles include the 2005 to 2008 Nissan Titan, Armada, Quest and Infiniti QX56, and Nissan Frontiers built between January and March 2006 and between October 2007 and January 2008.

Cannon owns dealerships in Oxford, Cleveland, Calhoun City and Grenada, and his Nissan store in Greenwood is the top seller in the southern region.

"This is a tough market," Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said to reporters at the grand opening. "But when you've got a businessman of his caliber with the success that he's had, there's no doubt he can succeed."

Hinds County Supervisor Peggy Calhoun, also on hand for the opening, echoed Johnson and Cannon's sentiments.

"The grand opening of this dealership signifies good times to come for I-20," she said.

COMMENTS

Page 1 of 1 pages

100 recent comments »