Rydell Chevrolet is part of the Rydell Dealership Group which includes over 80 stores across the United States. Rydell group is the largest dealership group in the country whose dealerships have different individual ownership but operate under the same Vision, Mission, and Philosophy. 

Rydell Auto Group History

Jim Rydell began his automotive career at Rydell Chevrolet & Rydell Truck Center (est. 1954) in Grand Forks, ND. He worked in a multitude of roles throughout his time there learning the business. He purchased his first dealership in Detroit Lakes, MN in 1980 which was a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Plymouth, Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury store. On April 15, 1984 he purchased the former Schukei Chevrolet dealership in Waterloo, Iowa and it became Rydell Chevrolet. Mr. Rydell quickly obtained market leadership and Rydell’s has been a high volume dealership ever since. Over the years the business has grown to include other dealerships and Auto Parts operations.

Matt Halbur began his career at Rydell Chevrolet in 2006 as a salesperson. Through hard work and perseverance, Matt worked in and around every department in the dealership and was later promoted to Sales Manager, then General Manager. In 2012 Matt formed a partnership with his father-in-law Jim Rydell and began to purchase the dealership. In 2015, they purchased the former Pinicon Ford Lincoln dealership in Independence, Iowa. In 2016 the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram franchises were acquired and the dealership was renamed Rydell of Independence. This paved the way for the new state of the art 30,000 square foot Dealership that was built in 2019 on the corner of Highway 150 and Highway 20 in Independence Iowa.

As the wholesale parts operation grew, so did the need for space and distribution. In 2010 construction began on the new Rydell Parts distribution center in Evansdale, Iowa. The parts storage moved to and from several locations before relocating to the current 90,000 square foot distribution hub which handles GM, Mopar, Ford, and many other brands of genuine Original Equipment auto parts. Also incorporated into the site is a 10,000 square foot aftermarket retail parts store, Auto Plus Auto Parts, that handles over 50,000 SKU’s of automotive parts. Today, Rydell ships parts to all lower 48 states as well as Canada, Mexico, and overseas.

About the Rydell Family

Jim’s father Leonard Rydell (1913-2000) bought and sold scrap iron during World War ll. Iron was a vital commodity, and Leonard was already thinking volume. His real dream was to own a dealership. In 1946, after the war, when cars were again being manufactured he purchased the original Rydell Chevrolet Company in Montgomery, MN. In 1954 at Chevrolet’s request, he moved his family to Grand Forks, ND to operate the Chevrolet dealership there.

Jim Rydell has continued in the tradition of high volumes and took it a step further with the “Best Price” philosophy. In 1992, Jim implemented and converted his dealership to the “Best Price” policy that is in effect today. He believed that whether you are 18 or 80 years old, everyone should get the “Best Price” up front, everyday, always. In the years to come, all dealerships in the Rydell Group converted to this one price, no hassle, no haggle pricing philosophy. This pricing policy is a hallmark at Rydell, and has been the driving force behind great customer experience and high sales volumes. Jim always believed that the car buying experience should be fun and stress free. Jim never wants customers to pay more, he wants to have more customers! This is in tune with the mission for all Rydell affiliated dealerships: to exceed our customers’ and employees’ expectations and maintain their loyalty for a lifetime.

Jim’s son-in-law Matt Halbur is now the Dealer Principal of Rydell Chevrolet and Rydell of Independence. Jim stays involved and openly shares his philosophies and vast experiences with the next generation of Rydell team members.

Our Vision

To be so effective that we are able to be helpful to others.

Our Values

The Value of Honesty and Integrity:
We believe that all decisions are to be made with integrity. Leadership is setting good examples for others to follow, expecting as much from yourself as from others.

The Value of Individual Responsibility & Accountability:
We believe we are responsible to satisfy the needs of our customers for all our products & services. Individual accountability for the quality of products will demonstrate to our customers we are enthusiastic about them and really care.

The Value of Unconditional Dedication to Excellence:
We believe there is no place for mediocrity & half-hearted efforts. We accept personal responsibility for over-coming obstacles & being the very best. We actively choose to excel in every aspect of our personal & professional lives.

The Value of Cooperation & Communication:
Close mutual support of one another is a fundamental tenet of ours. We value open communication and encourage new ideas, realizing that teamwork produces a better employee work environment & enthusiastic customers and suppliers.

The Value of Our People:
We have nothing of greater value than our people. We respect the uniqueness of every individual and believe that such an attitude will build a team of confident creative members possessing a high degree of initiative, self-respect and self-discipline.

The Value of Ongoing Improvement:
We believe in not accepting the status quo, in constant improvement & in the value of ongoing education in any form. We believe in providing opportunity for personal, professional and organizational growth within our company.

The Value of Being Good Community Citizens:
We give willingly to and are actively involved in the support of our communities because they provide us our success.