Peter Monaco opened Monaco’s Garage in Glastonbury, Conn., in 1922. Horse-drawn carriages were still common on the nation’s roadways. He maximized his business prospects by offering services related to that more traditional style of transportation, while also selling a variety of automobile makes and models. That strategic positioning provided the foundation for more than a century of success and growth, all under the leadership of the Monaco family.
In those early years, the business diversified even further into nonautomotive products and services, including household appliances and televisions. But automobiles were always a strong focus. In 1957, the family officially became a Ford dealership, beginning a relationship with Ford that has continued into the 21st century.
Monaco Ford’s success is a case study in multi-generational business growth. Peter’s five sons — Albie, Billy, Charlie, Johnny and Sonny — were all involved in the company in the early years; and now, more than a century later, the fourth generation of the Monaco family is at the helm.
Today’s retail automotive landscape is a far cry from the 1920s, to be sure, but the Monaco family says a single, underlying business philosophy has contributed to the company’s success throughout the decades.
“Consumer first. Community first,” is how the company describes its approach to doing business, according to Christine “Chrissy” Monaco DiMauro, who is co-owner of Monaco Ford along with her brother, Mike Monaco.
“For four generations, Monaco Ford has built its culture around integrity, honesty, trust and philanthropy,” Chrissy says. “Every employee is empowered with the ‘Monaco mindset’ — Listen to our customers. Understand their needs. And provide a comfortable, informed and welcoming experience. While the automotive industry has changed tremendously since 1922, the family values at the heart of Monaco Ford have remained constant.”
Chrissy says that these family principles have also helped to foster the company’s longstanding relationship with Ford. “It works because our values are aligned,” she explains, noting that her great-grandfather emigrated from Italy, established a business, raised a family and contributed to the community. She sees his strong work ethic and sense of civic responsibility as values that also characterize the Ford Motor Co. “Monaco Ford is built on the American dream. That history summarizes why the relationship with Ford was such a natural fit.”
Generations of Leadership
Peter Monaco’s grandson David Monaco grew up in the dealership, just as his father Charlie Monaco had. David joined the dealership full-time in 1972 and became its president in 1988. As Monaco Ford continued to grow under his leadership, David likewise involved his children in the business — providing a valuable, early introduction to customer service, employee relations and community service.
Chrissy has fond memories of her earliest years visiting the dealership. “You don’t think about it when you’re a kid,” Chrissy says. “It’s simply part of what your family does. But as you get older, you realize all the pieces of the puzzle that keep the dealership running.”
As children, she and her siblings would visit the dealership on Sundays with their father, when the business was closed. “I would take naps on the hood of the sweeper, and I would read books up there,” she recalls. As the children got older, they progressed to shredding paper, running errands, distributing mail and taking on other small responsibilities.
“Over the years, the dealership became a second home, filled with family, longtime employees and generations of customers,” she says. “Those experiences taught us that running a family business is about much more than selling cars. It’s about relationships, taking care of people and carrying forward the reputation built by the generations before us.”
Mike Monaco agrees about the value of being exposed to the family business at a young age. “Growing up in this dealership, our father taught us that this business is about so much more than selling cars,” Mike says. “He instilled in us the importance of hard work, taking care of people, and giving back to the community. Chrissy and I are proud to carry on the legacy that our great-grandfather started and that our father dedicated his life to building. We feel a tremendous responsibility to honor that tradition while continuing to grow and evolve for the next generation.”
Today, siblings Chrissy and Mike are the fourth generation of family ownership. Chrissy is heavily involved in day-to-day operations, while Mike takes what she describes as a more “boots-on-the-ground” role, handling property-related and technical matters, as well as interacting extensively with customers.
The arrangement works, Chrissy says, because their skill sets are complementary.
“There is plenty going on every day, and we divide and conquer according to our strengths,” she says.
Their father, David Monaco, praises the direction that the current generation is taking with the dealership. “Seeing Chrissy and Mike carry on what generations before us have built means the world to me,” he says. “I’m proud of the way they’ve embraced our family’s values while bringing their own vision to the business. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing our legacy will continue for generations to come.”
A Team Effort
Chrissy is quick to praise the talents of Monaco Ford’s staff when discussing the company’s long-term success.
“It would be terrible not to mention the team we have,” she says. “Without your staff, you really can’t do anything.”
Monaco Ford’s approach to employee relations has become even more important as workforce expectations have shifted, she adds.
“People have changed,” she explains, referring both to consumers and employees. “We’ve had to change and evolve over the years — much more quickly in the last three to five years — to attract the right people to come work for the company, so we can continue to do what we do for our customers and the community.”
At the same time, management has continued to embrace other types of change — including new business tactics and innovations that Peter Monaco would never have imagined.
Connecting with the Community
Monaco Ford’s ability to evolve has been key to its long-term success, to be sure. So, too, is its continued involvement with the community, according to Chrissy.
“It’s who we are at the core,” Chrissy says, noting that she grew up hearing stories of her great-grandfather’s support of the local community. “He very much cared about Glastonbury.”
As the dealership has grown, that commitment has expanded into surrounding communities as well. Monaco Ford hosts charitable events and fundraisers at the dealership throughout the year, supporting local veterans, families in need, children, health-related causes and nonprofit organizations. Its recurring efforts include a car show benefiting veterans, Toys for Tots, food and diaper drives and fundraising for cancer research. The company encourages its employees to become involved with volunteer activities, as well.
The community connection transcends generations, according to Chrissy. “We are now the fourth generation raising our families here,” she says. “We plan to have this continue.”
Mike himself is an impressive example of the family’s commitment to others. He volunteered for the military, which included service [JY1.1]in Iraq. He has since worked extensively on behalf of veterans, and he was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame in 2026.
Not surprisingly, Monaco Ford invited the entire local community to celebrate its centennial, which took place in 2022. Employees, customers, families and neighbors attended the event, which featured food trucks, live music, children’s entertainment and tours highlighting Monaco Ford’s history and operations.
Rather than just a business strategy, Chrissy describes the company’s community-based approach as a meaningful family tradition.
“It’s what we were born into,” she says, noting that Monaco Ford’s people-first mindset is so strong that the automotive nuts and bolts sometimes seem secondary. “We care immensely about people around us — our staff, everyone. We joke that, ‘oh, yeah, we like to sell and fix cars, too!’”
