August 31, 2022

During the 1970s recession, my
dad, a salesman by nature, worked
at several jobs, one of which was
a car salesman at Johnson Ford in
Kingston, New York. I recall that he
loved the job and the daily exposure
to the incomparable “new car smell.”
Eventually, however, as the economy
improved, he returned to his true
calling as a haberdasher, selling
suits at a local menswear store,
Rafalowsky’s. Rafalowsky’s was owned and operated by the Rafalowsky family, and later, when they retired, my dad purchased the store. I grew up around Rafalowsky’s, and one thing I distinctly remember is the connection my father had with his customers and his community.

Lehman Franklin III started a yearlong term as chair of the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association Board July 1, 2022. He has been a board member since 2015 and served previously as secretary and treasurer.