Orel Hershiser Humbled By Opportunity To Carry Forward Legacy Chevrolet Dealership

4 Min Read

Orel Hershiser celebrated the grand opening of his new Chevrolet dealership in Chino on Thursday, with local politicians and former Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Mickey Hatcher and Mike Scioscia among those in attendance.

So too were Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis and host John Hartung, former Los Angeles Lakers champion Robert Horry, Miguel Rojas and Jaime Jarrín.

The day represented the latest business adventure for Hershiser and Eddie Allizadeh, who also are partners in their Legends’ Attic store located in Claremont, Calif. They were celebrated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the dealership that was followed by a parade down to Chino City Hall.

That ceremony included appearances by Jack Dreyer and Joe Kelly, and ESPN L.A. Radio was broadcasting live throughout the afternoon. Thousands of fans gathered on the lawn to hear from the likes of Davis, Kelly and Rojas, with each sharing personal stories on their relationship with Hershiser.

“It’s amazing how Chino has supported us,” Hershiser told DodgerBlue.com.

Hershiser attributed his foray into the car dealership business to learning from Allizadeh and Rotolo Chevrolet owner Mike Caposio. Hershiser’s prior relationship with Caposio led to appearances in commercials that featured the former Dodgers World Series champion dancing.

While those drew plenty of fanfare, it’s not going to be repeated.

“We’re probably not going to be dancing anymore because that’s Mike’s brand,” Hershiser said. “And now that we have our own dealership, we’re friendly competitors. So you won’t see me in his commercials anymore but you will definitely see ours. We’re excited.

“Mike has blessed us. We’ve told him that we would’ve never had this day without him.”

Nor would Orel Hershiser Chevrolet have arrived without earning the trust of the Smith family over a three-year process. The dealership in Chino was founded in 1941 by Meredith Kopp Smith, and M. Smith Chevrolet had been owned and operated by the Smith family for three generations.

Orel Hershiser Chevrolet details and location

Orel Hershiser’s Chevrolet is located at 12845 Central Ave., Chino, Calif., 91710.

While the Chino Chevrolet dealership has now undergone a rebranding and has new ownership, Hershiser made it clear he intends to carry forward the family’s legacy and keep Marc Smith involved.

“The MK Smith dealership is a legacy purchase for us from a very special family, from a very special community,” Hershiser said. “And we take that very, very seriously. So what you saw from me on a baseball field, I’m going to bring that same work ethic.

“And that same customer satisfaction that we can bring and the same abilities on a daily basis to follow through on what we say. From a big heart.”

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Executive Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com
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