Capitol Auto Group makes deal to keep Nissan in Salem

Capitol Auto Group has added another dealership to its lineup, acquiring Salem Nissan.

Capitol Nissan opened for business Thursday, joining Capitol Chevrolet, Capitol Cadillac, Capitol Toyota and Capitol Subaru on the company's sprawling 24½-acre campus off Dr. MLK Jr. Parkway and Cherry Avenue NE.

Salem has been without a Nissan dealership and service center since January, when a fire destroyed the building at the former location on Market Street NE. Discussions between Capitol Auto Group and Salem Nissan already were underway, starting in late 2023, but the deal wasn't finalized until July.

Financial details of the sale were not disclosed.

"We are thrilled to be able to add Nissan to our automotive lineup and to the Salem community," Capitol Auto Group's Alex Casebeer said. "The addition of Nissan allows us to provide full range of automotive choices to fit with any budget."

Officials sent announcement notices to customers in its database and in Salem Nissan's database. Salem residents needing Nissan service no longer need to travel to the next-closest locations in Corvallis or Wilsonville.

Capitol Nissan has moved into the company's old Subaru store, at 3235 Cherry Ave., a visible location from the Parkway. The building had been utilized as a used car and reconditioning center since the Subaru dealership moved into its new digs on campus in 2022.

McKay Chevrolet opened in Salem in 1927

Capitol Auto Group is owned by the Casebeer family, synonymous with the local car scene for four decades. But the roots of the company go much deeper.

It is a fourth-generation, family-owned car dealership founded nearly a century ago by Douglas McKay, who went on to become the 25th governor of Oregon and then secretary of the interior under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Douglas McKay Chevrolet Company opened in August 1927 and operated out of temporary quarters on Center Street NE before moving into its new building at 430 N. Commercial, about where the former Rite Aid parking lot is downtown.

McKay served as the mayor of Salem and as a state senator before being elected governor in 1949. Sons-in-law Les Green and Wayne Hadley took over the dealership. In 1955, it became Capitol Chevrolet Cadillac.

Green was the public face of the business for 50-plus years, during which time the company added the Toyota dealership (around 1972) and Subaru (1984). His former son-in-law, Scott Casebeer, became a dealer and owner in 1986.

Casebeer is now chairman of the board and his sons, Alex Casebeer and Matthew Casebeer, manage the group and its franchises. Capitol Auto Group also owns Capitol Collision Center.

Company has a reputation of giving back

Capitol Auto and its employees are known for their philanthropy. Marketing director Carrie Casebeer said the company has donated $250,000 this year to support various schools and nonprofits, and its employees raised $480,000 in a workplace giving campaign for the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley .

The company also is known for creating a positive workplace culture for its 450 employees. All three of its dealerships — Chevrolet/Cadillac, Subaru and Toyota — are regulars on the annual "Best Dealerships to Work For" list produced by Automotive News. The list is based on employee assessment and feedback surveys.

Capitol Auto Group bought the property for its campus after leasing its previous site on Mission Street SE and relocated its dealerships there in 2011 and 2012.

The campus includes a large pond with a floating golf green, where visitors can hit eco-friendly golf balls, and a 1,000-square-foot covered pavilion, a gathering and event space shared by the dealerships. A coffee cart and dog park are nearby.

There also is a pet boutique inside the Subaru building. And Capitol Toyota recently completed a massive solar installation, with 820 solar rooftop modules producing 397 kilowatts of power daily.

Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com , and follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Capitol Auto Group makes deal to keep Nissan in Salem