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I just read that Brian Keenan passed away (73). He owned Keenan Saab in Grand Rapids, Mi until 2000 when he sold out to a mega-dealer opereation. According to his opbit Keenan Saab "earned accolades for being the highest grossing Saab dealer in the country." I'm not sure quite what the means but it was a great dealership and part of the reason I got into Saabs--they made you feel like you were part of a family.They were located in this funky old building that was build in the 30's and had been added onto higgily piggily for years. The service department had this fleet of about 20 sketchy older Saabs in various states of dis-repair. You could barrow one while your car got serviced. Once in a while you had to bring one back and get another if something was seriously wrong. But it always a little mini adventure to see if it would get you around and getting a loaner car was certainly a good thing.
It was one of those old Saabs that persuaded me to buy one. My son had bought a 9000 and when it was in for service he barrowed a 9000CD that 340,000 miles on it. I was so impressed by how nice it looked and drove that I decided then and there to buy a Saab. Brian lived in Grand Haven which was and is the biggest Saab town I've ever seen (including Boulder, CO in the 80's). Keenan even had a satilite used car/service opertion here for a time. Brian had a genuine love for the brand and the people who bought them. Even his boat was named "Saab Story." After he sold out they moved it to a brand new, fancy building and the loaner fleet disappeared. It just wasn't the same vibe and I stopped going there. I guess this is a tribute to how things were back in the "olden days." Brian was a big part of it. RIP dude.
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