In 1997, Rich Hartman moved to Grays Harbor from Portland with his family to get away from the big city.

The next year, on Sept. 1, 1998, he opened Five Star Ford Dealership on Wishkah Street in East Aberdeen.

The following 25 years have been devoted to making sure people have a place to buy cars in Grays Harbor, rather than traveling to larger cities like the one he escaped from.

Hartman, along with partners Allen Erickson and Damon Gleason, celebrated a quarter-century of operation on Monday at their Ford dealership with an honorary lunch and a plaque presentation.

“It’s just an honor to be here and to be able to be here this long,” Hartman said Monday.

Hartman said a big part of staying relevant in Grays Harbor County for so long has been variety: between its stores in east and south Aberdeen, Five Star also offers Toyota, Chevrolet, Chrysler Dodge and Ram. The stores also offer rental cars, parts, details and maintenance services that have saved many car-troubled individuals from buying a tow to Olympia or Seattle, Hartman said.

Hartman said it’s his 100 employees that make the magic happen. His stores have won multiple Ford President’s awards, an honor given only to a few hundred dealerships across the nation out of more than 5,000 contestants.

“It’s all about providing the best customer experience possible and giving people a reason to come back to us,” Five Star partner and General Manager Allen Erickson said Monday. “I don’t want people to leave town to buy a car.”

When people stay within the county to buy cars, so do their tax dollars, Hartman said. He pointed out that Five Star’s car sales have generated “massive tax revenue” in both sales tax and Aberdeen’s Business and Operations tax.

Five Star frequently sponsors community events, including the Ocean Shores Sand and Sawdust festival, Hog Wild in Ocean Shores and the Fourth of July Splash Festival in Aberdeen.

25 years ago, the dealership hosted Grays Harbor’s first United Way Gala in the same room it celebrated its anniversary on Monday, and has continued to host the gala.

For Erickson, selling cars is more about the people than the cars.

“We take care of people,” Erickson said. “I’ve built so many relationships with people early in my career that I sold cars to.”

“That’s what it’s about for me, is building those relationships over the years with people. It’s fun — you meet a lot of interesting people.”

Contact reporter Clayton Franke at 406-552-3917 or clayton.franke@thedailyworld.com.

Alicia Tisdale / Five Star Dealerships From left: Kristin Hartman, Allen Erickson, Rich Hartman, manager Steven Kettler, Damon Gleason, Ellen Owen, Judy Nguyen and Dan Bielik pose for a photo with a 25-year anniversary plaque outside Five Star Dealerships in Aberdeen on Monday, Aug. 28.