Hall’s Harley-Davidson sold to Simpson family, marking new chapter for Springfield dealership
Hall’s Harley-Davidson in Springfield, Illinois, has been acquired by Rhett, Trent and Linn Simpson from longtime owners Stan and Pat Hall, ending more than six decades of family ownership at the dealership.
Founded in 1962, Hall’s Harley-Davidson has been a cornerstone of the Springfield riding community since Stan Hall entered the business as a bicycle mechanic before purchasing the Harley-Davidson dealership with his wife, Pat. Over the years, the Halls expanded the dealership to larger facilities to support continued growth and better serve customers.
“It is a bittersweet moment when you think about selling the Harley-Davidson dealership that you and your family have painstakingly cared for over 63 years,” Stan and Pat Hall said in a joint statement. “With the help of Performance Brokerage Services, we were able to find a buyer that we felt comfortable entrusting with the future of our Harley-Davidson family.”
The Hall legacy extended into the next generation when their daughter, Diane Hughes, joined the business full-time in 1997. Diane and her husband, Larry Hughes, have overseen day-to-day operations in recent years, maintaining the dealership’s deep roots in the local riding community.
The buyers — Rhett, Trent and Linn Simpson — are second-generation Harley-Davidson dealers and owners of Andrae’s Harley-Davidson in Urbana, Illinois. The acquisition marks their second Harley-Davidson dealership and expands their presence in the Illinois market.
“The Simpsons couldn’t have been a better family to pass the wrench,” says Courtney Bernhard, partner at Performance Brokerage Services. “After six decades of ownership, we knew it had to be the right buyer to carry on the legacy.”
George Chaconas, senior partner at Performance Brokerage Services, noted the significance of the transaction. “Having exclusively represented Stan and Pat Hall following their 63 years of ownership, this transaction carried significant history and emotion,” he said.
The Simpson family said the brokerage team played a key role in the acquisition process. “Being our first time going through an external buy-sell, we had an abundance of questions, and Courtney was always available to answer and make suggestions,” Rhett, Trent and Linn Simpson added.
Following the sale, the dealership will be renamed Simpson’s Harley-Davidson and will continue operating from its current Springfield location.
