Harrod-Early Chevrolet

Harrod-Early Chevrolet holds the dis­tinc­tion of being the longest run­ning auto­mo­bile deal­er­ship in Winchester: 62 years. The busi­ness began in 1935 as a part­ner­ship between L. L. Harrod, pres­i­dent, and C. C. Early, sec­re­tary-trea­sur­er. They set up shop at 16 East Broadway and began sell­ing Chevrolet cars and trucks.

Lillis Lewis “Ike” Harrod (1900−1972) was born in Franklin County and his fam­i­ly moved to Lexington before he start­ed to school.  Known all his life as “L. L. Harrod,” he became a sales­man for Fred Bryant Motor Company in 1924.  Four years lat­er, he was out­selling the own­er; Harrod sold 169 new and used Chevrolets to Bryant’s 128.  Harrod mar­ried Gladys Wilson before mov­ing to Winchester.

Charles Cuvier “Cue” Early (1895−1983) was a native of Midway and a vet­er­an of World War I.  After the war he lived briefly in Ohio and in 1923 mar­ried Mildred Daniels in Terre Haute, Indiana.  During that peri­od, he went by “Cuvier” but ever after it was sim­ply “C. C. Early.”  Early found his way to Fred Bryant’s in Lexington by 1930.  He quick­ly became one of Bryant’s top sales­men and a good friend of Harrod.

In 1935 the pair moved to Winchester, pur­chased the Chevrolet deal­er­ship of Tom Swope Motor Company, and opened as Harrod-Early Chevrolet.  That year Chevy over­took Ford as the best-sell­ing car in America and held that title for decades.  In addi­tion to sales, Harrod-Early offered gen­er­al repairs, a tow­ing ser­vice, and a large line of auto­mo­bile parts and acces­sories.  They adver­tised their top-of-the-line Master De Luxe Chevrolet with the Blue-Flame Engine, Knee-Action Ride and Turret-Top Body by Fisher.

Harrod-Early hired Jack Hodgkin and James Talley as sales­men, and Tom Swope stayed on to sell used cars.  In those ear­ly days the com­pa­ny held numer­ous pro­mo­tions.  They pre­sent­ed free motion pic­tures in the show­room and events fea­tur­ing the Martin Brothers String Band.  They also spon­sored a com­pet­i­tive base­ball team in a local league that played at Massie Park.

A 1938 ad men­tioned that the com­pa­ny had sold 1,214 new and used vehi­cles in their first three and a half years of busi­ness.  In addi­tion to the prin­ci­pals, the com­pa­ny had ten employ­ees; the sales­men were Owen Tevis and James Fox.  In 1948 they added Oldsmobile to their lineup.

Harrod and Early were also part­ners in real estate, and each became active farm­ers on land they pur­chased on Boonesboro Road.  Harrod was once injured when he fell from a hay wag­on and broke both elbows.  Their wives enter­tained togeth­er reg­u­lar­ly.  The Sun duly report­ed their par­ties where Mrs. Early was host­ess with Mrs. Harrod assist­ing, or vice versa.

Company expan­sion saw Harrod-Early with used car lots at 47 East Broadway and 28 North Highland plus a body shop at 18 South Highland.  Their big move came on the heels of a large land pur­chase just north of town.  In 1964 they relo­cat­ed to a 25,000 square foot struc­ture they built at the inter­sec­tion of Paris Road and I‑64.  The com­pa­ny then had five active salesmen—Dorse Hall, Lawrence Young, Gary Palmer, and Andy Allen.

C. C.’s son, Helm Early, became a part own­er in 1951 and ran the busi­ness until 1996.  The com­pa­ny sold off parts of their 42-acre tract of land for oth­er busi­ness­es, and the inter­change has become the site of sev­er­al nation­al chain hotels. 

L. L. Harrod and C. C. Early were very active in local affairs.  Early was a mem­ber of the Winchester-Clark County Chamber of Commerce, Winchester Rotary Club, Lodge 943 of the Free & Accepted Masons, and First Baptist Church.  Harrod was a direc­tor of Winchester Federal Saving and Loan Association, a mem­ber of the Winchester Kiwanis Club, Lodge 943 of the F&AM, and First Christian Church.

Harrod passed away at the Good Samaritan Hospital in 1972 and is buried in Hillcrest Cemetery in Lexington.  C. C. Early died at his home on Colby Road in 1983.  His son Helm passed away at Clark Regional Medical Center in 2006.  Father and son are buried in Winchester Cemetery.

Winchester’s old­est auto­mo­bile deal­er­ship end­ed their run in 1996.  Harrod-Early sold the busi­ness to a new own­er-man­ag­er, Casey Whitney.  At that time the com­pa­ny had 45 employ­ees.  Just one year lat­er, the com­pa­ny reor­ga­nized under a new own­er-man­ag­er and renamed Mike Wilson’s “Casey” Chevy-Olds.