Steve Appelbaum
General Manager | 
John Lee
Chairman & CEO | 
Tim Varnell
President & COO |
Welcome to Kia Country of Charleston The Story of Kia Country of Charleston Lee Motor Company was founded in 1953 by my father, James L. Lee, a veteran of World War II. After his service in the Navy, Dad became involved with the automotive business which he enjoyed for the rest of his life. He began his career in 1946 working in Ford’s manufacturing plant in Norfolk, Virginia. Eventually becoming the zone manager, he called on Ford dealers throughout the North Carolina market. In 1951, he went to work directly for the Ford dealership in Windsor and later Plymouth, North Carolina. In 1953 with a $5000 stake and a dream, he and my mother purchased the Ford dealership in Elm City and went into business for themselves. In 1967, my parents purchased Tobacco City Motors in Wilson. This dealership was later relocated to its present location on the corner of Ward Blvd. and US 301 in Wilson, North Carolina. In 1980, Dad passed away, and so at the age of 20, I took over the day to day operations of Lee Motor Company. At the same time, I was finishing my sophomore year in college, and my wife and I were married just three months later. In 1982, along with my wife, I graduated from Atlantic Christian College, now Barton College, in Wilson, North Carolina. Our company and our country struggled through a vicious recession that lasted through the middle of the decade, and as the smoke cleared, we were still standing. Over the next three decades, we purchased and sold several dealerships, proudly helping several store managers become owners in their own right. Along the way, we opened Lee Nissan in Wilson (1982), Lee Hyundai in Fayetteville (1988), and Kia Country in Charleston, South Carolina (2003) and Savannah, Georgia (2004). Our Kia store is the #1 volume store in Georgia and our Charleston store is also the #1 volume store in the low country. Kia Country of Charleston has deep roots in our community. We help support local causes and assist with area fund drives to help raise money for various worthy causes. We provide good paying jobs to our employees who live in the area, many of whom have worked here for years and are your friends and neighbors. We appreciate your taking the time to visit us online at kiacountryofcharleston.com. We have a dedicated internet staff to help you with every facet of the purchase process, as well as any of your parts and service needs. As you look through our site, I hope you will see the pride we take in our dealership. With over twenty years in operation, our business model is still the same – to exceed our customers’ expectations in every facet of our business. We are committed to making each customer’s experience as pleasant and convenient as possible, and as always, doing business the right way since 1953! Sincerely, John Lee, President
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Business Philosophy FORECAST…
BUSINESS will continue to go where invited and remain where appreciated.
REPUTATIONS will continue to be made by many acts and be lost by one.
PEOPLE will go right on preferring to do business with friends.
GO-GIVERS will become the best go-getters.
THE “EXTRA MILE” will have no traffic jams.
PERFORMANCE will continue to outsell promises.
ENTHUSIASM will be as contagious as ever.
KNOW-HOW will surpass guess-how.
TRUST, not tricks, will keep customers loyal.
QUALITY will be prized as a precious possession.
The Ten Cannots
1) You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2) You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
3) You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
4) You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
5) You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
6) You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
7) You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
8) You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
9) You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
10) You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
- Attributed to Abraham Lincoln
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