In the 1950s, your dreams of a new car might have come true at the corner of 10th and Olive in downtown Eugene. Instead of a large lot full of vehicles, you would have seen one car, an import such as a Hillman Minx or an MG. One man, Harry Sheppard, would be waiting for you.
From those small but determined origins, today Sheppard Auto Group sells hundreds of cars a month, and services hundreds more, on a 20-acre campus, with 55 service bays, in northeast Eugene. They’ve weathered changes and challenges, and they keep Harry’s “one customer at a time” philosophy alive every time a customer arrives.
From a steady job in Canada to entrepreneurship in Eugene
In 1950, Harry left his job as a Ford manufacturer representative in Winnipeg, Canada, and relocated himself and his family to pursue entrepreneurship in Eugene.
“It’s almost mind-boggling,” says Phil Speers, who has owned Sheppard Auto Group since 2010. “One decision 75 years ago has impacted my family sitting here in 2024.”
Domestic car brands already had area dealers, so Harry pivoted to imports. By the 1960s, Harry moved into what is now Kelly’s Appliances on West 6th Avenue. From there, Fiats, Land Rovers, Volvos, and Jaguars began roaming local roads. After a tour during the Vietnam War, Harry’s son John Sheppard took over the business. In the 1980s, John moved the dealership to the former Barker Motors Chrysler-Plymouth location on West 7th Avenue, with Jeeps and Volkswagens joining the mix of brands.
“John did everything,” says Phil. “His idea was to maintain and minimize expenses, still giving a good customer experience, but ensuring that he could get through the peaks and valleys, especially the early- to mid-1980s. A lot of people left Eugene, but he kept pushing forward.”
During those tough economic times, John doubled down not only on the dealership, but the community, including his service for Rotary International and the Relief Nursery. It was also around that time that he and Phil first met. After graduating from the University of Oregon in 1990, Phil and his wife Lisa moved to Lake Oswego. He worked in tech, and she worked in the mortgage industry. After having a son in 1997, they began looking for a change. It turns out, John was too.
“I ran some business ideas by John,” says Phil. “He asked if I would be interested in the car business. I said I had no idea. We talked about it, over the course of a year. Lisa and I talked about it. Portland was busy, but it was a different pace of life in Eugene.”
In 1999, they moved. Starting in the 2000s, Phil began learning the ins and outs of the car business, from sales to service, and later to management. By 2010, Phil took over full ownership of Sheppard Auto Group. Six years later, John passed away from cancer.
Not in the car business
Building on Harry and John’s commitment to the business and the community, Phil saw that he could go even deeper on Sheppard’s investment in its people.
“A vehicle is the second largest purchase most people make. We help our customers with their transportation, and we help our people grow on a personal and professional level,” says Phil. “We’re not in the car business. We’re in the people development business.”
Around 2017, Audi discussed bringing an Audi dealership back to Eugene. Sheppard Auto Group competed with more than 30 other dealers from around the country.
“There are bigger dealers, but they wanted somebody who was locally owned and operated, and here every day,” says Phil. “Our secret sauce is our people, and we are well connected to the community. They chose us.”
New dealership, same ideals
On North Game Farm Road, just off I-5 and between Eugene and Springfield, Sheppard found a new home on a 20-acre lot. They could offer not only expanded service offerings, but showcase Audi along with VW, Volvo, and Hyundai. From a team of 60, Sheppard Auto Group now has more than 120 employees, across service, finance, and sales.
“Being just off the freeway, so many people up and down I-5 see us and don’t have to come into the city,” says Phil. “We are excited to be in the new location, and it’s a great win for our customers.”
Message to Harry
If Phil could send a message back in time to Harry Sheppard, he knows exactly what he’d say.
“I would thank him,” says Phil. “He had a dream to own and operate his own business. To carry on that legacy seventy-five years later, it’s hard to comprehend. I’m in my office looking out over my campus because of what he decided. I’m full of gratitude and appreciation.”
Shepperd Auto Group
sheppardautogroup.com
