The Tiffany Motor Company has been a part of the city fabric
since 1910. Bob Tiffany, the fourth generation in the family
business, not only sells cars, but also supplies the school buses
for the Hollister School District and runs the oldest California
AAA-affiliated towing service.
Tiffany Ford is the oldest dealership in California, the seventh
oldest in the country. Tiffany’s great-grandfather, a local real
estate salesman, bought a new Model T Ford and the rest is
history.
The Tiffany Motor Company has been a part of the city fabric since 1910. Bob Tiffany, the fourth generation in the family business, not only sells cars, but also supplies the school buses for the Hollister School District and runs the oldest California AAA-affiliated towing service.
Tiffany Ford is the oldest dealership in California, the seventh oldest in the country. Tiffany’s great-grandfather, a local real estate salesman, bought a new Model T Ford and the rest is history.
“He started selling Model Ts on the side, and one thing led to another, and soon he and my great-uncle had a dealership,” Tiffany said. “Unlike other family businesses, we have all done other things and then we came back to Hollister.”
Tiffany’s father, Charlie, was a civil engineer in the Bay Area and chose to return to Hollister. His legacy as an active member of the community is well remembered, as is their original dealership located where Dorothy McNett’s Place is today.
Tiffany didn’t plan on taking over the family business. He had gone to business school and then launched a successful marketing career with General Mills in New York and Boston.
“It was a tough decision to make,” Tiffany said. “The business had been in the family so long and it was an opportunity I couldn’t let pass. So I decided to give it a go and 17 years later I’m still here. My dad’s decision to come back was more of a personal decision than a career decision. I feel that way too. Hollister is a great place to raise a family.”
Tiffany and his wife Kathy have two boys. He volunteers his time as a board member of Southside School, sits on the Community Foundation Board and is a member of the Rotary Club.
Tiffany went from working in the head office of a large company looking after many retail outlets across the country to being on the front line and wearing many hats as a local business owner.
“The car business is an exciting industry. It’s demanding and competitive. A car is one of the biggest purchases a customer will make,” Tiffany said. “As a family business in a small community, it’s not just a business – it’s personal. The customer’s satisfaction is critical.”
Around 65 percent of Tiffany’s customers are from San Benito County and he sees a lot of repeat business.
“It’s a misconception that cars are higher priced in small towns, all dealers pay the same base price from Ford, there is no quantity discount,” he said. “In a small town, the overhead is often lower; we can take much better care of you and still be just as competitive.”
The four local dealerships in town work together to help keep business in the community.
“If you buy locally, it helps to keep the tax revenue in the county,” he said. “So give us a chance.
“We worked together for several years and accomplished a lot. My mother is part owner and I have her knowledge and advice. Many of our 41 employees have been with us for many years. That kind of loyalty and history is part of the integrity The Tiffany Motor Company has.”
The Tiffany Motor Company is located at 300 Gateway Drive just off San Felipe Road in Hollister.
