Barker Honda: Franchise continues to drive area Honda market

Houma business mogul, Dick Barker has extended his empire to include five major car dealerships in the Houma-Terrebonne area, which includes Barker Honda.

The Barker family stepped into the automobile industry in 1940, when Dick Barker founded Terrebonne Ford in Houma. In 2000, he expanded his automobile franchise for the fifth time, purchasing a Honda dealership on corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Enterprise Drive.

Dick Barker soon turned the ownership reigns over to his son Mike and the former Cournoyer Honda, quickly became known as Barker Honda.

Six months after the purchase Mike Barker invited Lester Bimah, the six-year general manager of Barker Mitsubishi, to come aboard as co-owner and managing partner of Barker Honda.

In charge of the day-to-day operations, Bimah said it has been very exciting to be a partner in the Barker dynasty because the family has been deeply rooted in Terrebonne Parish for nearly 65 years.

“They have made their mark in Houma and I am happy to be apart of that,” he said.

Like any other car dealership, the business didn’t take off like the family thought it would. Bimah said the initial start up was a little bumpy.

But after the kinks were worked out, the dealership excelled and even withstood the aftermath of disasters that struck the area in 2002 and 2005.

“Business has been phenomenal for the past year-and-a-half. We have a vast stock of new and pre-owned vehicles,” Bimah said.

In fact, for the past six years Barker Honda has been ranked one of the top certified used-car programs in the country, according to IntelliChoice, an automobile information provider ( www.intellichoice.com).

“The business appeals to a different variety of industries and individuals because we have a good and quality product. Our customer satisfaction rate has been steady at 98 percent since 2002,” Bimah said.

Barker Honda’s clientele ranges from youngster wanting stylish cars and colleges students on a budget to the retired individual wanting luxury and comfort, even their own employees are loyal customers.

“Our customers look for quality cars at an affordable price, and that’s what we offer at Barker Honda,” he said.

Since 2002, Barker Honda has expanded its facility to keep up with the growth of the parish. The managing partner said he hopes the company continues to provide their customers with quality vehicles and superior service.

“Much of our success can be attributed to our employees, who are committed to being top-notch representatives of the business. Without their dedication, we would be just another dealership selling cars,” Bimah said.

Steering into the future, Barker Honda has cruised into Mississippi. The family franchise recently purchased Honda Brookhaven, which will be the first Barker dealership outside of Louisiana.

Sophia Ruffin can be reached at (985) 876-3008 or sophia@tri-parishtimes.com.

Staff Photo by Matt LeBlanc • Tri-Parish Times/ The Barker Empire has triumphed over the past 60 years, which can be contributed to its fiery employees who have dedicated their careers to making Barker Honda one of the best car dealership in southeast Louisiana. Pictured are Barker’s Honda Co-owner Lester Bimah and Sales Manager J.J. Patterson, an employee for more than 25 years.