🔒Former Sunnyside Auto properties in Holden to be redeveloped after $2M sale
The owner of The Gun Parlor in Worcester plans on redeveloping two Holden properties formerly part of the Sunnyside Ford business. IMAGE COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS
Two properties formerly used by Sunnyside Ford in Holden have been sold for $2 million, with the new owner planning to redevelop the parcels into retail and restaurant spaces.The properties at 945 Main St. and 1 Salisbury St. were sold by Sunnyside in two transactions finalized on Monday, according to Worcester District Registry of Deeds records. The properties were purchased by Justin Gabriel, the owner of The Gun Parlor and Gabriel Racing car dealership in Worcester, both of which operate out of 170 Prescott St. Gabriel intends to redevelop the site, taking advantage of its Downtown Holden location and proximity to Worcester, according to a press release from Worcester-based NAI Glickman Kovago & Jacobs on Wednesday.Michael Jacobs, managing principal at NAI Glickman Kovago & Jacobs, represented the sellers.Mike Jacobs, managing principal of NAI Glickman Kovago & Jacobs IMAGE COURTESY OF NAI GLICKMAN KOVAGO & JACOBS“This sale highlights the continued demand for well-located redevelopment opportunities in the Worcester area,” Jacobs said in the press release. “The buyer has a clear vision for transforming this assemblage into an active retail and restaurant destination that will contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the Main Street corridor.”The property at 945 Main St. holds a 5,700-square-foot former auto reconditioning facility, while the 1 Salisbury St. site holds a 4,000-square-foot former auto repair building. The two sites share a parking lot and total about 2.2 acres. Real estate used by Sunnyside was put on the market in February 2025, with Town Manager Peter Lukes telling WBJ the hope was the Main Street parcels would be redeveloped into businesses providing goods and services to residents.The property containing the former Sunnyside Auto dealership at 944 Main St. sold in November for $2.4 million to Jeff Dion, with plans for Dion to move his business, Gordy’s Automotive Repair & Tire Center, to the site.First opening in 1923, Sunnyside Ford operated for 102 years before closing in November 2024.Combined, the two properties received a 2026 tax assessment value of $784,300, according to Town of Holden property records. Eric Casey is the managing editor at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the real estate and banking & finance industries.
