It’s official…..we’ve marked 50 years as a Subaru retailer, making us one of the oldest dealers of this beloved brand in the entire country!

And we continue to be oh-so-young-at-HEART! With an unwavering commitment to ongoing learning and development, a workplace atmosphere that values every member of our team, and ongoing efforts to marry cutting-edge technology and best-in-class practices with an old-fashioned sense of community, we are proud of all that we are as we celebrate this 50th birthday as a Subaru dealership.

Like any milestone in life, this is a great opportunity to reflect back. The truth is that the success of our Subaru adventure was somewhat unexpected. The brand was virtually unknown when we brought the first line of Subarus to our property, and after decades of people driving much larger vehicles, it seemed an unlikely candidate for such great success. But….ever a visionary, our very own Lewis Ruge had a sense back in 1970 that a smaller economy car might be a good bet - and wow, was he right about that!

Ruge’s saw something powerful emerging in the Subaru brand, and became one of the country’s very first dealers. We all know Lewis to be an intuitive person, but who could have guessed that there’d be a gas shortage in that decade? And that was followed by an environmental protection movement that would drive awareness around using more fuel-efficient vehicles. Soon thereafter, a consumer safety movement that Subaru was positioned to meet with its extraordinary, state-of-the-art safety and technology features.

The brand has taken off, and since set all of us out on a metaphorical road trip that’s really been a dream!

By 1997, the Subaru collection was so high in demand that it necessitated the construction of a new showroom on the property across the street from the Ruge’s Montgomery Street location. And today, Ruge’s has sold tens of thousands of Subarus! (Some Hudson Valley residents will joke that you’re not REALLY a local until you’ve got a Subaru with the Ruge’s license plate frame in your driveway!)

Our loyal customers, some of whom have been buying, leasing, and servicing vehicles with us since those early days as a Subaru dealer, pride themselves on being unofficial brand ambassadors. Many will proudly share that they’ve never driven anything but this well-respected, beloved, safe, socially conscious brand of vehicles, and that they won’t do business with anyone but Ruge’s. That love for all things Subaru has helped us raise tens of thousands of dollars for local nonprofit organizations through Subaru’s Share the Love initiative, and has allowed us to attract and retain the best employees in the business.

Thank you for sharing so much love with Ruge’s since we first became a Subaru retailer 50 years ago. We are thrilled to have you all as part of our extended family, and look forward to many healthy decades ahead!

Learn more at rugessubaru.com.