Morris brothers head up dealership founded by father four decades earlier
Jim Parker
The Post and Courier
Bucky Morris (left) and brother David Morris are vice presidents of Morris Nissan.
Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier
Morris Nissan has been located on Savannah Highway for 28 years.
Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier
A new Nissan Versa (left) and an Altima were in the Morris Nissan showroom recently.
When you talk about who’s running Morris Nissan these days, two names come to mind: Bucky Morris and his brother David Morris.
They are co-owners and vice presidents of the franchise, which has been at 1714 Savannah Highway since 1980 after relcoating from North Charleston. The pair are carrying on an operation built by their father, D.P. “Buck” Morris, a World War II veteran in the Pacific theater who opened the first local Nissan (then Datsun) dealership in the late 1960s.
The family tradition continues. Bucky has two sons in the business, Wesley Morris is the service manager and Marshall Morris the Internet and compliance officer. David also has two sons at the store, David P. Morris IV is the used car manager and Gil Morris new car manager.
Recently, David and Bucky Morris sat down to discuss the store’s family emphasis, the current market conditions and how Nissan evolved from its earlier days as Datsun.
Q. How is it being part of a family-owned dealership?
A. (Bucky) A lot of people are carrying on from our Dad and Granddad. Our sons are following in our footsteps, I think.
Q. What is Morris’ history?
A. It started out as Sam Bowman Auto Sales on Meeting Street in 1945. My Dad and Mr. Bowman (David and Bucky’s grandfather), they would buy a car and sell it off the street corner. Back then, it was just domestics. Cars were a premium. They built up enough capital to rent a lot. It had a reputation as the Southeast’s largest used car dealer. In April 1969, Datsun opened at 3747 Rivers Ave. Then we moved to Meeting and Spruill. The interstate (26) dried it up.”
Q. Datsun eventually became Nissan. How was that?
A. Nissan, I think, got complacent with the market. They were great dependable cars. (David) They made the biggest marketing blunder in 1984, changing from Datsun to Nissan. I remember the tagline, “The name is Nissan.” So what? (Bucky) With the merger of Nissan and Renault, it’s put them back as a household name. Not just dependable cars but good-looking and stylish.
Q. What are people buying?
A. Six months ago, gas efficient cars. (Yet) in August, we had our best truck sales. We sold more Titan trucks than any. You need inventory across the board, don’t get too locked in to one product line. It’s been about developing markets. We are the first dealership to implement oil changes for life.
Q. How do you see 2009?
A. (David) I think ’09 is going to be a stable year. I’m anxious to see our new president help out with the economic situation, to see how it works out. (Bucky) Nothing is going to be easy, but for those who work hard, it will work out. (David) We opened a body shop four months ago. It’s a pleasant surprise. People are fixing their cars. We want to be full service. (Bucky) Over a period of 43 years, we’ve got customers who bought their first car here and are still buying them.
Q. What has been the biggest change in the auto business over the decades?
A. Well, with the advent of the Internet, not just the car business, but everything, people are smarter buyers. They’ve studied the product. We have very few people who try to buy a car online. But when they come in they know the difference between an Altima and a Maxima. That makes the buying experience easier for the customer and salesman
Q. What is the origin of the Rock?
A. Having grown up West Ashley, I went to St. Andrews High and played football there right around the corner. We were the St. Andrews Rocks.
Q. You had Volkswagen at one time down the street. How was that?
A. It was 1985 to 1990. We had four feet of water in the showroom several times. After (Hurricane) Hugo, we moved up here. We tried to negotiate with Nissan; Nissan didn’t want it.
Q. Would you open another franchise today?
A. We would have to have a desirable franchise, but it is hard to deviate from the belief that Nissan has the best product. We sold Saabs for a short period of time in the 1970s. We feel comfortable with Nissan, (David) Nissan is opening a light commercial division. It’s two years down the road. But we could like that.
Wesley “Bucky” Morris and David P. Morris III
Co-owners, vice presidents
Employees: 65
Ages: Bucky, 63; David, 60.
Families: Bucky: wife Colleen, three grown children; David, wife Ann, four grown children.
Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, anything to do with the water
Location: 1714 Savannah Highway
Phone: 571-2810
www.morrisnissan.com
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