Over a Century of Thinking Young: Our History
Where It All Started
The Young Automotive Group was founded by Seldon "Jack" Olsen in Morgan County in 1924. After signing an Oldsmobile selling agreement, he opened a dealership and sold his first vehicle to Mountain Green resident O.W. Rollins.
Looking to expand the company in 1926, Olsen bought the Parkinson building in Morgan and converted it into a dealership. He hosted a dance on New Year's Eve to celebrate the grand opening. Three years later, he signed his first Chevrolet contract.
The struggles that plagued the country during the Great Depression challenged Olsen as well. He was forced to repossess 41 cars in 21 days due to new manufacturer loan requirements. Olsen even had to resort to bartering at times, providing vehicles and maintenance for goods and services.
Along with economic struggles, Olsen faced tragedies during the decade. In 1935, our Morgan dealership burned to the ground, and he acquired severe injuries while retrieving a cash register as well as a few tools.
Despite the setbacks, Olsen kept his sights set on expansion. In 1948, he opened Olsen Chevrolet on Main Street in Layton - beginning an operation that stands to this day. During the early 1950s, Olsen hired his son-in-law, Sam Young, as a bookkeeper at the business.
Thoughtful Amenities
Young proved himself at the dealership, becoming a keen and intuitive leader. In the 1960s, he held multiple management positions.Â
The dealership also saw tremendous growth during this time, with additions to the facility taking place regularly. Young also began to have his sons work at the company at an early age.
During the 1970s, the Young family took on a more prevalent role at Olsen Chevrolet. Young's son Spencer began selling cars during his late 20s, while his brothers began taking on more roles at the dealership.Â
Near the end of the decade, Olsen passed down to his family the remaining shares of the Layton location before his death in 1979 -Â leaving behind a legacy that's inspired generationsÂ
of growth.Â
In the early 1980s, Sam Young purchased sole ownership of the dealership - ushering in our era of expansion. With this newfound acquisition, the name of the Layton dealership officially changed to Young Chevrolet. Young also acquired a Pontiac dealership across the street before the turn of the decade.
With family leadership transitions taking place throughout the 1990s, we focused on strategic expansion. Spencer Young Sr. began a tenure as president, and led acquisition efforts for an Avis Car Sales location in Ogden as well as for dealerships in Kaysville, Utah and Burley, Idaho.Â
It was also during this time that we began to diversify our assets. We opened a new trailer division within our Pontiac dealership and purchased the Bonneville Raceway tracks in Utah - which later became Rocky Mountain Raceways.
After the turn of the millennium, we acquired our Xtreme Xccessories and Young Wraps locations. In 2007, Young Sr. and his wife, Sherry, co-founded our non-profit, the Young Caring for Our Young Foundation. With efforts dedicated to being a presence in our communities, the foundation works to provide for children and families experiencing poverty.
During the decade, the Young Automotive Group also braved the storms of a national economic collapse. While many businesses were forced to scale back their operations, or even shut down, we kept each of our locations open without resorting to layoffs.
Once the state of the country had settled, Young Sr. made diversification a top priority for the Young Automotive Group.
From 2011-2014, the Young Automotive Group more than doubled in size - expanding from four to nine locations. It was also during this time that Spencer Young Sr. stepped down as president and named his son, Spencer Young Jr., as his successor.
As we continued to expand, leadership saw a need to establish core values as well as a mission statement to guide the Young Automotive Group.
Today, these values include:
Trust & LoyaltyÂ
Work TogetherÂ
Rise Together
Engage & SupportÂ
ValueÂ
Â
Gratitude
These values have been paired with our mission - to deliver an exceptional customer experience while generating a fiercely loyal following that loves to Think Young.
The principles established by the Young Automotive Group's executives quickly proved instrumental to our success. Before the end of the decade, we added three new automotive locations as well as a new Truck and Trailer dealership.
With expansion and diversity at the forefront of our efforts, the Young Automotive Group founded Young Powersports during the 2010 decade -Â developing a premier brand with locations across multiple states.
Our impressive growth has been recognized by several publications, placing us on lists such as Utah Business' Fast 50, MountainWest Capital Network's Utah 100 and Automotive News Top 150 Dealership Groups.
In 2021, we officially surpassed $1 billion in total revenue. With Spencer Young Jr. serving as president along with the leadership of an incredible executive team, we continue to achieve our goal of expansion. As of 2025, we have locations across Utah, Idaho and Montana.Â
Our incredible business successes have also extended to our efforts in the community. The Young Caring for Our Young Foundation has grown into an initiative that donates millions of dollars to efforts related to children's clothing needs, hunger, literacy and wellness
As we grow, we remain grounded in our core values, committed to continual growth and devoted to helping our customers, employees and leaders Think Young.
