About The Sylvania times. (Sylvania, Ga.) 2022-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 2022)
Ghosts and goblins wandered the downtown streets Friday afternoon as the 3rd annual Sylvania Downtown Fall Festival sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Sylvania Main Street. Grace Waits, chamber director explained, “we had great attendance and positive feedback from the whole community. We look forward to growing it even bigger next year” A total of sixteen vendors had various games for the kids to play and got “treated” with candy for their good work. Vendors included Possum Eddy, VFW, Donna’s Bakery, Queensborough National Bank & Trust, City of Sylvania, Happy Little Fish, Bank of Newington, First Christian Church, Food Lion, Savannah Pizza Company, Arnett Roofing, Screven County Chamber of Commerce, 1023 Grill, Lila Jane Craft Supplies, Little Dipper and Sylvania Ford. (photos by Sarah Saxon) Mia Williams hoping her frog can land in basket for a win! Maggie Jo Shipes plays the Halloween bean bag toss as Jonna W. Thompson and Whitney Gay cheer her on Fall Festival draws large crowds Sarah Saxon Reporter Donna McDonough hands candy to kids at the Donut Hole toss The 2022 Region 3A Di cross country champions. Ashley Langley, Kaydance Bragg, Addie Rountree, Jalaine Rosier, Lynnlie Rountree, Coach Anna Canetto, Erin Thompson, Annaston Dotschay, and Sadie Beth Sell. It is the team’s 10th title in the last 11 years (photo by Vette Rountree). Our New Home - week 9 Joe Brady Editor Well, Orr’s Construction is winding down on the renovation. Lights are being hung and Cecelia is finishing up the murals. Now we are down to the tiny detail stuff like trim. Joe and Sam are going to paint this week and then it will really start to take shape. Thank you to everyone who has stuck their head in the door and told us how great everything looks! When it comes time to clean, Fm taking off because there is more sheetrock dust than one pair of lungs can stand! Our move in date is still Thanksgiving! The torch is passed to a new generation Phillip Ayers, the face of Sylvania Ford, has hung up his hat but promises that the same dedicated service can still be found with the Redding family, (photo by Sam Eades) Joe Brady Editor Phillip has been known by a lot of names, but Grandpa is perhaps the one he is looking forward to hearing the most in his retirement. As of the end of last month, Phillip is no longer the Ford Man in Screven County. Sylvania Ford has a new owner and Phillip is looking forward to spending time with the grandchildren and farming. He has one child. Duff, and two grandchildren. “In 1977 my dad, Carl, and Matt Gay came down from Augusta and opened the ford dealership.” This business was in the parking lot beside where the newspaper is located. “Matt decided to open a Chevrolet dealership, so Dad owned Sylvania Ford until 1992.” In February 1992, Phillip and his brother Carl, Jr, purchased the dealership from their father. Carl, Jr. died in 2000 at the age of 47 from a heart attack. Phillip has owned the business since then. “Sylvania Ford has always been about customer service. Dad referred to Carl and I as “the Ayers Boys,” and he was known as the “Country Cuz” for years. He used to do Drive Time for WCHY out of Pooler.” Phillip attributes much of his success to his loyal customers and employees, “If I had not had the best employees and customers, I would not have made it this long.” The UGA graduates reflects on the fact that when he was in college, there were 5 ford dealerships between Sylvania and Athens, now there is only two. “The car business is changing. The industry is moving toward chain ownership. We were one of the last of the Mohicans, so to speak.” In the past, dealerships were passed down but since Duff is a prominent judge there was no one to leave the business to. “Tim Redding reached out to me over a year ago, but I wasn’t ready to talk about selling. He has dealerships in Metter, Dublin, and Swainsboro.” Ayers goes on to explain that the Redding family reminded him of the Ayers family and if he was going to do this, he wanted his greatest assets protected, his employees and his customers. Phillip has no doubts that this move is the best for the future of Sylvania Ford. “Tim will take the business into the next phase. The business is constantly changing and let’s be honest, the younger people know more about the electronic ends of things better than me. I look forward to the changes that Sylvania Ford will be experiencing.” During our interview, Phillip was emphatic about the support of his employees, “I couldn’t have done anything without my employees but the three who have been with me the longest, Michelle Stubbs, Wayne Blanchard, and Tina Long, have kept me motivated all of these years.” As the torch is passed to a new generation of owners at Sylvania Ford, Phillips says this, “There are great things happening at Sylvania Ford. But the core values will never change, although the faces have, you can’t be successful in a small market without good employees and good customers.” Possum Eddy KICKSTART YOU OLIDAY GIFTS The helpful place. 136 Industrial Road Sylvania, Georgia (912) 564-2003 Shop gifts fnonnthe Best Brands all in one place. Saturday - 7:30 Closed Sunday
