Albert Lea residents will have a great selection in car makes when Lyons Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep opens in mid-October at the old Crossroads Motors lot on Sorenson Road and Highway 65.

“We chose Albert Lea because we thought it was an excellent opportunity,” said Perry Ressler, the general manager of the Lyons Albert Lea. “We’ve been in Mason City (Iowa) for 31 years, and we have served southern Minnesota for many of those years through that dealership.”

The Lyons store will also sell pre-owned vehicles, do vehicle service, sell parts, do body shop work, leasing and rentals.

Lyons’ original dealership was founded by Bill Lyons in Mason City in 1971. Over the past three decades they have made a good name for themselves, according to Ressler.

“Lyons has a terrific reputation in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota in sales, service and parts,” he said.

Ressler said that reputation has come from a strong history of great customer service. “Customers are No. 1 for us and always our top priority,” he said.

Crossroads Motors, which had been a Chrysler and Dodge dealer, closed last December and Lyons bought the lot soon thereafter.

Ressler said the new Lyons will carry the whole Chrysler line of makes and models as well as a wide selection of Dodge and Jeep vehicles and all makes and models of used vehicles.

Lyons, which has a Toyota dealership connected with the Mason City dealership, is also looking to the future to get Toyota into Albert Lea as well. A Toyota dealership would most likely be at a separate facility.

The new dealership brought only two employees from Mason City and is looking to the area to provide the rest of the staff.

“We are looking to staff our store with people from the Albert Lea community and southern Minnesota,” said Ressler. “Initially at start up we’d like to open with 25 employees and we’re hoping to grow and add staff to nearly 35 employees.”

According to Ressler, Lyons is very pleased to be opening a store in Albert Lea. “We are looking forward to doing more business in Southern Minnesota,” he said. “We are very thankful and excited for the opportunity to be a part of the community.”