Vernon Krause began the full circle moment last year, when the Bishop Verot High School graduate’s Alpharetta, Georgia-based company bought three Lee County car dealerships.

Krause continued closing that circle this year. Krause Auto Group purchased Volvo Cars Fort Myers and the real estate it sits on at 2600 Colonial Blvd. Krause also bought a used truck lot next door at 2562 Colonial Blvd., a 9-acre package of real estate that closed April 1 for $13.5 million, public records show. The McGrath family had owned the properties under MAC Imports LLC.

The ownership change means big changes are coming to the property, said Mike Spinazze, general manager and a managing partner with a 40% ownership stake.

Vernon Krause

Volvo is dropping the word “of” from its official name, meaning “Volvo Cars of Fort Myers” will be called “Volvo Cars Fort Myers.” The dealership will be remodeled, and Genesis will be relocated next door.

When Krause started his company in 1991, he did so with one Georgia dealership. Now Krause owns 29 dealerships, including eight in Florida. Of those, Nissan of Fort Myers, Nissan of Cape Coral and Fort Myers Genesis are all in Lee County.

Krause purchased those three dealerships from the Sutherlin family last year. After George Sutherlin died in 2022, his family began selling off many of his dealerships.

“He had three stores in Fort Myers,” Krause said. “It was just easiest to buy all three of them.

“Then the Volvo store came along. And we bought it. We liked it. When we’re in a market, we like to buy as many stores in a market as we can. It’s just better for synergies.”

Krause said he wasn’t deterred by buying two Nissan dealerships in the same area.

“It’s actually better,” Krause said. “You get some economies of scale.”

For that reason, the Genesis dealership soon will move from 13921 S. Tamiami Trail in south Fort Myers to a temporary facility next door to Volvo. A permanent and new Genesis dealership is in the planning stages, Spinazze said.

Spinazze connected with Krause years ago and discovered some commonalities.

Krause graduated from Bishop Verot in 1969, the school’s third graduating class. Spinazze’s daughter attended high school there, as well. They’re also both hockey fans, with Krause leading an effort to return an NHL team to Atlanta.

Spinazze said he’s excited about the new opportunity.

“With Volvo, we’re going to go ahead and spend a bunch of money remodeling the showroom and getting it up to Volvo standards,” Spinazze said. “We’ll improve the square footage.

“We’re also going to bring Genesis — Fort Myers Genesis next door. We’re going to give them new construction right at the same property. Temporarily, we’re going to operate out of the old truck building.”

By early 2026, the Volvo dealership should be remodeled, and by the end of 2026, the Genesis building should be finished, Krause said.

Krause said it was part coincidence and part his own desire to return to a market he once called home.

“I was a banker for three years,” Krause said of his beginnings. “And then I had a used car lot in Vero Beach for five years. And a Chrysler dealership in Vero Beach for five years.”

Krause went back to school, earning an MBA at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. Then he got back into cars, buying a Ford dealership in Woodstock, Georgia.

“My dad was in the military,” Krause said. “He retired to Fort Myers Beach in 1966, when I was 15 years old. I have real strong roots there. My parents lived there. I have a sister who lives in Fort Myers. My mom was a nurse at Lee Memorial Hospital.

“I come back there.”

Spinazze said he’s excited to add Volvo to his company’s mix of brands.

“Super excited,” Spinazze said. “I think it’s a great car for the value. I see them all over town. We’re going to try to double or triple the amount of cars that they were selling — new cars — that they were selling out of this store.

“We’re trying to make an imprint on the area — trying to grow the business in the area.”