Sir Walter Chevrolet- A smart choice for the 919

By G. CLEVELAND KILGORE 919 Magazine Writer

Since Sir Walter Chevrolet opened its doors in Raleigh in 1928, the priorities were always creating a family atmosphere, being involved with community, and providing excellent customer service.

Today, those efforts translate into Sir Walter being the number one volume Chevrolet dealer in North Carolina – and the recipient of the Chevrolet Mark of Excellence Dealer award for providing superior customer service.

---MATT BIRCKHEAD Sir Walter Chevrolet

“We are almost one-of-a-kind, in that we are single-point automobile franchise operating at a big volume level in a world where large – even publicly traded – dealership groups dominate the market,” said Sir Walter General Manager Matt Birckhead. “The ownership family is here everyday and in on every decision.”

When the award-winning dealership began in downtown Raleigh 91 years ago, Frank R. Anderson Sr. was the Dealer Principal. “Frank was a keen businessman and had an affinity for automobiles, so when Chevrolet approached him about opening up a franchise in Raleigh it was certainly a dream come true,” according to Birckhead. “His philosophy of creating a family atmosphere for both employees and customers still rings true today, as Sir Walter is one of the longest running single-roof automobile franchises in the U.S.!”

Today, George Anderson is the 3rd generation owner at Sir Walter. A graduate of North Carolina State, he spent his entire life around the family business and became the Dealer in 1990. He served as the President of the North Carolina Automobile Dealer’s Association and involved as a board member for many local charities and businesses.

Described as the consummate gentleman, and dedicated to his hometown of Raleigh and his family (he has two daughters and four grandchildren all in Raleigh), George found himself in 2012 as the sole-family member working in the dealership (when his eldest daughter left Sir Walter to focus on a newborn daughter (and subsequent son). That was something new to him, but -- as luck would have it -- the following year, his youngest daughter Caroline and her husband, Matt Birckhead, decided to move back to Raleigh from Northern Virginia. George talked his son-in-law into coming aboard Sir Walter in 2013.

With that, the dealership’s long success record has continued. “We truly embrace our family-owned, local small business mantra in a market where large dealership groups seem to be the new normal,” Birckhead said. “As a single-point dealership (we do not have any other stores), we are able to provide a truly unique family atmosphere for both our employees and our customers that still resonates in today’s market.”

Birckhead explained that due to Sir Walter’s size and organizational structure, they are able to stay nimble and make decisions on the go to help keep up with the day-today trends of the automobile market – which he credits for making Sir Walter currently the number one Chevrolet dealer in the entire state of North Carolina.

Today, Sir Walter has 82 full-time employees who Birckhead stressed are all viewed as family. “We are proud of the average tenure of our staff,” he said. “Look no further than our office manager Wanda Perkinson, who just celebrate her 40th work anniversary with us in October!” In addition to selling new Chevrolets and all make and model of pre-owned vehicles, Sir Walter offers a full-service automobile service center doing everything from oil changes and state inspections – to replacing engines and even servicing heavy duty work-related vehicles (such a UPS trucks, ambulances, etc). Sir Walter is also an authorized General Motors warranty repair shop and can perform warranty-related work on any GM vehicle (not just Chevrolet).

“We truly are here to help you with your automotive needs. Contrary to popular belief, car dealers are good people who do a ton for the local community, serve as great employers, and are here providing a much-needed service like every other business owner in America,” Birckhead stressed. “And at Sir Walter Chevrolet, we strive to provide the best complete automotive experience in the industry – from the initial sale, to all the service in-between, until it’s time to trade-in for another vehicle.”

YEAR OPENED: 1928

OWNER: George Anderson (3rd Generation owner)

KEY PERSONNEL: George Anderson (owner) Matt Birckhead (GM) Wanda Perkinson (Comptroller) Jeramy Bull (General Sales Manager) Mike Carlson (Fixed Operations Dir.)

ADDRESS: 8501 Glenwood Avenue

BUSINESS HOURS: M-F Service and Parts: 7:30 am-6 pm M-F Sales: 9 am-8 pm SAT Service and Parts: 8 am-5 pm SAT Sales: 9 am-6 pm

AWARDS/HONORS: #1 Chevrolet store in North Carolina; 2015-2018 (4 times in a row) winner of the Chevrolet Mark of Excellence Award for providing exceptional customer service (an award is only given to the top 3 percent of dealerships annually in the U.S. out of 2,800 franchises)

WEBSITE: sirwalter.com

PHONE: 919-787-3700

POSITION: General Manager Sir Walter Chevrolet

YEARS IN POSITION: 6.5

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Account Executive, Hewitt Packard (9 yr)

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: B.A. (Biology), University of Virginia

RESIDENCE: Raleigh

FAMILY: Wife, Caroline; son, Anderson (4); daughter, Camille (1)

PET: Turbo (hermit crab)

INTERESTS: Golf, UVA sports, deer hunting, Atlantic Beach visits