Audrey H. Trapp
May 5, 2008Houma man found dead
May 7, 2008
A leader in car sales, Trapp Cadillac Chevrolet is the Tri-parishes’ top-selling dealership, according to information compiled by the Tri-Parish Times & BusinessNews.
Much like gas and oil run through vehicles, the automotive industry is embedded in the Trapp family’s DNA. Current owner Heinke Trapp Jr. learned the tricks of the trade from his father, Heinke Sr. It’s the same information handed down from grandfather and great-grandfather, both of whom owned car dealerships in their respective eras.
The Trapps, however, didn’t own the first Chevrolet dealership in Houma. The brand first rolled onto Bev Lirette’s dealership on Main Street.
Then in 1941, New Orleans native A. Dupre Vateh bought out Lirette and called the dealership Quality Chevrolet Inc. Vateh relocated the business to Barrow Street.
Heinke Sr. wanted a piece of the action and became a partner under the Quality Chevrolet Inc. name until September 1972. The following month, Heinke Sr. bought out Vateh.
By 1965, Heinke Sr. had moved the business to South Hollywood Road, and the 9.93-acre Trapp Cadillac Chevrolet establishment was born. In 1987, Heinke Jr. joined the family dealership and has been the sole owner since 1999, which was the year his father passed away.
“I am the only dealer in Houma that doesn’t own several dealerships, and I like that because I can concentrate on being the best Cadillac Chevrolet dealer,” Heinke Jr. said.
Young Trapp said he values the time and energy his father put into the business. “He brought it this far and now it’s time for me to take it into the future,” he said.
The continuous improvements to cars and trucks, along with increased emphasis on technology has made Trapp Cadillac Chevrolet a far different dealership than it was in the early days. Heinke Jr.’s approach is simple, “Let’s not wait around for technology to pass us up.”
Providing qualified service after the sale is as essential as the sell itself, he said.
Former professional baseball player and Trapp’s general manager Harold Haydel, who celebrated his 40th year as a Trapp employee last October, said this is not your average mom and pop establishment.
Haydel worked under Heinke Sr. for years before his passing. “Cars were simpler then,” he said. “They had a heater, four wheels, a steering wheel and, if the driver was lucky, the car had air conditioning.”
“In 1950 and 1960, anybody could sell a car or a part to a car,” Heinke Jr. said, noting when he first started out in the business a Corvette cost $6,000, and now it’s $66,000.
“My father died in 1999 when prices were on the incline, but prior to that he would have never thought that a truck would cost $50,000,” he said.
The safety improvements over the years justify the higher cost, Haydel said.
Although the product has improved and prices have changed, the constant the dealership promotes is customer service, a staple dating back to great-grandfather Trapp’s era.
“You do have to grow with the times,” Haydel said. “We have to sell ourselves and retain our customers as much as possible, and this dealership is a personable one. We treat people how we want to be treated.
“With all the changes you still have to have customers come in, negotiate a price with them and take care of them after they leave,” he added.
The changes in design and technology are so significant today that car experts are being hired to train car dealership staff on what’s under the hood and how to communicate it to customers.
“It’s a fact the automobiles have changed so much that General Motors is having to hire people to come in and train mechanics before they work on cars,” Haydel said.
There are some sales people who have been on the job for 20 to 30 years and they are selling cars to fourth- and fifth-generation Cadillac or Chevrolet owners.
Trapp said that is why the business has stayed on top of the car sales heap for so many years; workers enjoy coming to work every day and helping maintain the business.
“We want to maintain the ups and downs of the times and stay on level ground and strive for consistency,” Heinke Jr. said.
Heinke Trapp Jr., owner of Trapp Cadillac Chevrolet, and general manager Harold Haydel show off the latest Cadillac sedan. The Houma dealership is the Tri-parish area’s top-selling car sales site in 2007, moving 1,661 vehicles. * Photo by SOPHIA RUFFIN
