Longtime Fresno car dealerships sold along Blackstone Avenue

Carmen Kohlruss
·1 min read

Several longtime car dealerships along Blackstone Avenue in Fresno are under new ownership.

They were owned by Mike Rosvold of Michael Automotive Group for four decades.

They were purchased this month by Steve Cornelius and are now called Blackstone Toyota, Blackstone Chevrolet, Blackstone Cadillac, and Blackstone Volkswagen, according to a news release issued by a company that helped with the sale.

Rosvold put the dealerships up for sale several months ago after deciding to retire. The sale closed June 1.

“Mike Rosvold will be staying on as a consultant for a while before he retires,” the news release said.

Cornelius, who owns other car dealerships across the state, said it was advantageous to buy in Fresno, The Business Journal reported.

“Fresno is an attractive market,” Cornelius continued. “It’s not a small town — with over a million people — but it has that small town feel.”

The former Michael Toyota car dealership on Blackstone Avenue at Bullard in Fresno shows a thank you to the Michael Automotive Group on a marquee and temporary signage in the background on Monday, June 27, 2022. Michael Automotive Group, Fresno dealerships that were owned by Mike Rosvold for nearly four decades, were sold to Steve Cornelius and will now have the name Blackstone.
The former Michael Cadillac car dealership on Blackstone Avenue at Bullard in Fresno shows temporary signage covering the “Michael” sign on Monday, June 27, 2022. Michael Automotive Group, the dealerships that were owned by Mike Rosvold for nearly four decades, were sold to Steve Cornelius and will now have the name Blackstone.
The former Michael Cadillac car dealership on Blackstone Avenue at Bullard in Fresno shows temporary signage covering the “Michael” sign on Monday, June 27, 2022. Michael Automotive Group, the dealerships that were owned by Mike Rosvold for nearly four decades, were sold to Steve Cornelius and will now have the name Blackstone.