How this will impact Emmett

EMMETT -- Bill Buckner Motors has shuts its doors and all assets of the dealership are going to Key Bank.

This following a 9th inning rally by the former major league All-Star to save his namesake dealership from becoming the next business to close in Emmett.

Buckner confirmed Thursday night that the dealership was closing because of finances.

But as we found out, there is much more to this story than simply another case of not surviving in tough economic times.

Many in Emmett feared this day would come when Bill Buckner would have to close the doors of his car dealership.

According to his lawyer Ron Rus out of Irvine, Calif., the business closing isn't solely on Buckner.

Rus says Buckner went into the dealership as a partner with Don Ovitt who would act as the sole director and primary owner.

AP file

Bill Buckner as a member of the Boston Red Sox

But after being accused of embezzling money and falling out of trust with Key Bank, Rus says in August, Ovitt took his own life.

And after years of creating a name for himself as a major league all-star that could fight through virtually anything on the field, Buckner, who lent his name to the business and worked at the dealership on a day-to-day basis in the past few months, could no longer fight off the inevitable in business and is turning over his assets to the flooring lender - Key Bank.

Now, Emmett residents are concerned for a possible ripple effect.

"It really concerns me, because what else could shut down? Could Albertsons close? Could Sonic close? You know if things here in Emmett close down and there's nothing here for us and we have to travel more, putting out more of our hard earned money to go do errands and stuff," said Emmett resident Molly Majors.

"I don't think there are a lot of jobs here. Not jobs that you can pay your bills with, and get by with," said Emmett resident Janice Yarbery.

"Bill Buckner closing, that's one big business that provided many jobs for the town, there's going to be more unemployed people if more businesses keep going under, more people like me who can't find a job," said Majors.

The folks in Emmett say they will weather this latest business storm.

They were forced to deal with the closure of the lumber mill in 2001 and many still make the 32-mile drive on Highway 16 to jobs in the Treasure Valley.