Walker Chevrolet
A Franklin Legacy
Walker Chevrolet has sold and serviced Chevrolets in Franklin since 1926, and 2026 marks a century under the Walker family name. Over three generations, the Walkers have moved the business from downtown Main Street to Columbia Avenue, then to Highway 96 East, and finally to its current home at 3940 Carothers Parkway.
Newton and Rosa Walker (1926–1932)
In 1926 Newton Walker bought the Chevrolet agency at the west end of Main Street and made his wife, Rosa, a full partner, an unusual step at a time when few women held a stake in a business. From the start, he built the dealership around its customers: selling and servicing their cars and making sure the people of his community were looked after.
Rosa Walker and the second generation (1932–1995)
Newton died suddenly in 1932, leaving Rosa with three young children (Newton Jr., Mary Jane and Billy), two elderly mothers to care for, and a dealership to run. With the help of loyal employees, she not only kept Walker Chevrolet open through the Depression but grew it. That loyalty endures today, in employees who have stayed with Walker for decades and in customers who have done business with the family for generations.
Rosa’s son Billy (William H. Walker Sr.) married Louise Clay in 1953. Two years later, Billy, Newton Jr. and Mary Jane bought into the business, and Billy joined his mother as dealer operator and president.
Billy Walker Jr. (1995–present)
William Sr.’s eldest son, Billy Walker Jr., grew up sweeping floors and stocking parts at the dealership. After earning a business degree from MTSU in 1980 and completing GM’s School of Merchandising and Management in Detroit, he joined his father full time. Together they moved the dealership from Columbia Avenue to Highway 96 East. When Billy Sr. retired in 1995, Billy Jr. became dealer principal.
A tradition of community service
The Walkers have long tied the dealership to Franklin’s civic life. William Sr. backed Little League teams and the JL Clay Senior Center, loaned cars for driver’s education and helped launch the Franklin Rodeo. His service earned him the Williamson County Chamber’s Legends Award and the Boy Scouts’ Silver Beaver Award.
Under Billy Jr., a Franklin Rotary member since 1990, the dealership supports youth sports, the Franklin Farmers Market, the Bluegrass Festival and Williamson County Schools athletics (WillCo), among many other causes. Williamson County Schools named Walker Chevrolet 2026 Sponsor of the Year.
Billy Jr.’s leadership has also drawn statewide recognition. In 2026 the Tennessee Automotive Association presented him with its Robert V. Weaver Award and nominated him for the 2027 TIME Dealer of the Year award, which will be presented at the NADA Show in Orlando in February 2027.
3940 Carothers Parkway | Franklin
615.591.6000 | walkerchevrolet.com
