Matthew Hartley

Taylor AutoMall

Jerome Taylor arrived in Kingston in 1963 and at the age of 27 would be the youngest ever in Canada to own a dealership without benefit of family connections. He had been presented with an opportunity to take over an existing Chrysler dealership. The business was floundering, but Jerome implemented a strategy of very hard work and a complete focus on the Customer (Guest). Within three months, the dealership was back on track and Jerome never looked back. By 1967, it was necessary to expand the business. A new location was found at 1429 Princess Street and Kingston Dodge Chrysler was opened, where it still stands today. The business continued to grow and prosper and in 1979, Jerome decided it was time to make a change. With all of the turmoil that Chrysler was experiencing, Jerome took a completely new direction and purchased a GM dealership deep in the city core. It was reintroduced as Taylor Chev Olds Cadillac and was an instant winner. Along with his other business, Limestone Auto Body the Taylor automotive landscape was now a complete package. Phenomenal success ensued and again in 1988 the need to expand became evident. Jerome Taylor opted to purchase property situated at the corner of Princess Street and Centennial Drive. The brand new Taylor Auto Mall was born. A modern, sleek design gave an airy, open atmosphere complete with a restaurant and lush gardens. The booming business added a Saturn dealership in 1991 that operated until 2009 when the Saturn Brand ceased to exist. Jerome's son, Jason came on board in 1995 after completing a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Dalhousie University. After two years of managing Saturn of Kingston, Jason was appointed Director of Operations in 1997 and oversaw all aspects of the business. The unexpected and sudden passing of Taylor in 2006 was a dark day for his family and his employees. Today, Jason maintains the tradition and philosophy his father so successfully engineered in the business.