Chrysler LLC told a bankruptcy court it plans to eliminate 789 of its 3,200 dealers — about 25 percent of them — across the U.S. as part of its restructuring process.
A dozen Chrysler dealers in Massachusetts, six New Hampshire Chrysler or Jeep dealers and one Rhode Island dealer are among those targeted for closure as part of the restructuring process for the automaker.
Midway Motors in Framingham, Mass., was notified this morning their dealership was on the list, but it didn't come as a total surprise.
The dealer's principal owner got a phone call from Chrysler this morning and sent an e-mail to his employees telling them the news, as well as the things he's looking to do to keep his 60 employees in a job, said John Bulso, dealer operations manager.
"He is going to see what he can do," said Bulso, who has been with the company since 1993. "We've had some meetings prior to this about contingency plans. Everyone is in pretty good spirits."
Bulso speculated the owner, who owns two other car dealerships, would appeal the decision.
"It's just unfortunate," Bulso said, because through "no fault of the dealership" jobs are going to be lost. "It's poor planning on Chrysler's part."
Closing dealerships will not immediately solve Chrysler's money woes, he said.
"We actually pay a great deal of fees to them to be a franchise," Bulso said, adding their dearship performs above the minimum sale requirements and has a profitable parts department. "It really doesn't make any sense."
The dealers likely will have a right to appeal to get off the list.
Chrysler spokeswoman Kathy Graham says the company will notify specific dealers before commenting publicly.
Massachusetts dealers on a list in the bankruptcy filing are in Attleboro, Braintree, Dudley, East Harwich, Framingham, Kingston, Melrose, Salisbury, Seekonk, South Attleboro, Westboro and Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.
The New Hampshire dealers include: Carlson's Motor Sales in Concord, Gil's Jeep in Stratham, Lakes Chrysler Jeep Limited in Belmont, Medlyn Motor Inc. in Milford, Roberts Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge in Peterborough and Rochester Lincoln-Mercury in Rochester.
One dealer in North Kingston, R.I., is also on the list.
At Georgetown Dodge in Norwalk, Conn., employees are sitting tight.
"You take one day at a time," said Ralph Valente, the sales manager. "It's out of your hands, you can't control it. I don't know how to react. This has never happened before."
Valente said he doesn't believe their dealership, which has been in the same location for the past two decades, will be targeted.
FOXNews.com's Michelle Maskaly and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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