The Buster Miles Story
THE BUSTER MILES STORY
Buster Miles was one of 10 children born on a farm in Glencoe, AL. He was no stranger to hard work, joining the U.S. Army during WWII before he completed high school.
Buster served with the 41st Infantry, which was one of the first units to enter Hiroshima after the atomic bomb was dropped. Since he did not smoke or drink, he became an entrepreneur, selling his cigarette and alcohol rations to other soldiers. After serving his country, Buster returned to Glencoe to complete his high school education and became a cheerleader for his teammates, since he was ineligible to play football. In 1947, he started his first small business, Miles Motors, with his brother on Noble Street in Anniston. Soon after, he started two other small businesses with a new Chevrolet car lot in Piedmont, AL., along with a used car lot in Jacksonville, AL. As a result of Buster's contagious personality and solid reputation for providing excellent customer service, he was able to open the doors of Buster Miles Chevrolet-Oldsmobile in 1952 on the main street of Heflin, AL.
After a few years, the store added a state-of-the-art service department and body shop.
Today, Buster Miles has grown to over 60 customer-focused employees, adding a Ford dealership in 1994 under the leadership of Buster's son, Matt, who is the current Dealer/Operator for both stores. Buster Miles Ford is housed in a spacious, modern facility directly off I-20 at Exit 199 in Heflin. In June 2014, Buster Miles Chevrolet cut the ribbon on their brand new facility neighboring the Ford dealership. The building will replaced the original downtown location that has been existence for over 60 years and features a comfortable customer service lounge, classic car showroom, and a high-tech, 10 bay service center.
Buster Miles has now become a third generation family-owned and operated business with Matt's son, Mim. Buster's vision will continue to be implemented by his family members and staff of dedicated employees.
The Buster Miles Dealerships have served their community since the beginning by sponsoring numerous community events throughout each year. In early 2000, Buster Miles raised over $40,000 for area schools. The business has consistently contributed to over 25 charitable organizations ranging in diversity from the Boys & Girls Club, United Cerebral Palsy Center, and American Cancer Society to the Anniston Museum and Knox Concert Series to the Cleburne County Cattlemen Association and the National FFA Foundation, to name a few. The dealerships have continued Buster's support and passion for small business by being long-time members and supporters of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce and Cleburne County Chamber of Commerce, holding a board position and a cornerstone sponsorship level for Calhoun.