Larry Kitahara has sold his Buick GMC Dealership in Fresno, and has retired.

Longtime Fresno auto dealer Larry Kitahara has sold his Buick GMC dealership, and has reportedly retired.

Kitahara Buick GMC, located near Blackstone and Bullard avenues in Fresno, was in business for nearly 20 years, according to a profile on the Better Business Bureau website. The new dealership is called Fresno Buick GMC.

The new dealership owners have invested in a television campaign announcing the transition. Several messages left for Fresno Buick GMC management seeking comment have not been returned, as have messages left for Kitahara.

In addition to being an auto dealer and hot rod enthusiast, Kitahara is an inventor who secured patents assigned to family farming operation Kitahara Farms, including one for a variety of plum tree, according to online records.

He is also a philanthropist, supporting causes including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust, the Firebaugh Fire Department and more.

We wish the best to Kitahara in his retirement. When we know more about the new owners of Fresno Buick GMC, we will let readers know.