Leo Kaytes Ford celebrates 30th anniversary

WARWICK - On March 10, 1978, Leo Kaytes opened the doors and renamed the Ford dealership then occupying two acres alongside Route 94. Older residents may remember it as Twin State Ford. Kaytes and his brother, Joseph, now deceased, had been operating the well-known Kaytes Ford agency in New Jersey when Leo Kaytes learned that a Ford dealership in Warwick was up for sale. “My brother and I had a busy highway location in New Jersey,” said Kaytes, “but I wanted a country store.” Kaytes soon had his wish - and his country store. Warwick was very different in those days. The population was much lower than today and traffic lights, for example, didn’t even exist. On the nearby ShopRite Plaza, there was only a smaller Lloyd’s Supermarket, a gas station, and a liquor store in a separate building. “You could look in both directions and not see any cars on Route 94 when you pulled out,” recalled Kaytes. “Lloyd’s was a big draw for traffic in the evening and when it closed, we closed early.” In that first year, Leo Kaytes Ford began its business with no inventory and then sold nearly 500 cars. To date, their sales have exceeded 20,000 automobiles. The award-winning dealership is also the number one selling certified Ford pre-owned dealership in the New York, tri-state area. Year after year, Leo Kaytes Ford has earned the distinction of being one of the top honored Ford dealerships in the region. According to Kaytes, this leadership has been built on a simple concept to treat people like you would like to be treated and that has fueled its steady growth. In 1988 Leo Kaytes’ son Leo R. joined the company as a partner and worked side by side with his father, continuing the family tradition. Members of the Kaytes family have worked at the dealership from the beginning. And Kaytes and his wife, Gladys, longtime residents of Warwick, are proud of their five children and 16 grandchildren. By the mid 1990s, Leo Kaytes Ford was selling and leasing more than 1,000 Fords a year to customers from Maine to Florida, although most are principally in the New York tri-state region. “This is a town of only about 30,000 residents and we have 15,000 customers in our data base,” said Kaytes. “Most represent repeat business. Some have been with us since day one or even followed us from New Jersey. And many who move from the area, return to us when they need another car. This has always been a family business and our customers are part of our family.” Leo Kaytes has been selected Warwick’s “Man of the Year” for his generosity and community service. And over the past 30 years, his dealership, Leo Kaytes Ford, has donated more than $1,000,000 to local non-profit organizations such as Winslow Therapeutic Center, St. Anthony Community Hospital, Warwick Little League and many others. “We owe our long history of success to our dedicated employees and the level of service we’ve been able to provide,” said Kaytes. “The Orange County community has been wonderful to us and we look forward to continued growth here.” On Friday and Saturday, May 9-10, Leo Kaytes Ford will be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a 30-hour celebration beginning at noon on Friday, May 9. “There will be lots of prizes and huge discounts on our entire inventory,” said Leo R. Kaytes, president of Leo Kaytes Ford. “We will also have plenty of food and refreshments. Everyone is welcome.” Other attractions on those two days will include Karaoke, balloon rides and a “Screamin Demon” monster truck, which will be there for the entire celebration with two performances on Saturday, May 10. A highlight of the celebration will be when the grand prize, a commemorative vintage 1978 Ford Mustang “King” Cobra, is given away following a 24 hour “Hands-On” contest. For more information about Leo Kaytes Ford or the upcoming 30th anniversary celebration, call Leslie Culkin at 986-1131 or visit www.kaytes.com.