When Josh Streets reopened the old car yard at 75 Emu Bay Road, he wasn’t just starting a business. He was reviving a piece of Deloraine’s history.
The site had been home to Bartlett’s Car Centre, run by Brian Bartlett for 40 years, before shutting its doors in 2006. Since then, the lot had seen only occasional bursts of activity. “We’re the first probably since that closure to get back in and, you know, redo the signs, redo the gravel and start to freshen the yard right back up and get it into a full-time business again,” Streets said, standing among rows of freshly detailed vehicles.
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Streets Automotives, now over a year into operation at the Emu Bay Road site, is more than just a dealership — it’s the culmination of a lifelong passion. Streets has been buying and selling cars since he got his driver’s licence, juggling his interest in sales with a career in farming. “I’ve been a farmer most of that time, but in between being a farmer, it was a hobby to sell stuff,” he said. “I really enjoyed sales and moving equipment.”
That hobby steadily grew into something more serious. Long before launching Streets Automotives as a full-time business, Streets was using the very same yard to sell vehicles. “I actually put stuff in this yard about eight years ago… and that sort of opened the door to start thinking about possibly getting the yard and leasing it and going full time here,” he said.
His roots in car sales run deep. Streets’ grandfather, Neal Streets, was a local salesman in Launceston, running Street City Cars. Growing up around the business gave him an early understanding of the trade. “Being involved in and around the yards all this time, I really sort of grew a passion for sales and meeting people,” he said.
But in a small town like Deloraine, selling cars isn’t just about stock and prices—it’s about trust. Streets believes building relationships is just as important as moving vehicles. “People like to know that they can trust you,” he said. “There’ve been times when there’s been bad taste left in people’s mouths about unworthy, trusted car salesmen… We try to do things differently. We try to be upfront—what you see is what you get.”
That approach seems to be working. While Streets Automotives serves the local community, its reach extends far beyond Deloraine. “We sell cars to Hobart, we’ve sold things to Flinders Island, and Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria,” he said. The key, according to Streets, comes down to a combination of quality and competitive pricing. “If you’ve got your price right, and you know it’s a good vehicle and good stock, they [buyers] will travel for it.”
Streets Automotives specialises in four-wheel-drive utes and commercial vehicles—vans, buses, and other workhorses popular with businesses. “Commercial vehicles are always quite popular,” Streets said. “Businesses are buying the car for their use. They can claim it on tax.”
“I’ve had people spend hours deciding on a car, and others buy over the phone without even seeing it.”
But the process of sourcing, preparing, and selling these vehicles is more involved than many customers realise. Most of the stock comes from auctions, including ex-government and ex-fleet vehicles, which are prized for their maintenance records. Once acquired, each vehicle goes through a meticulous process: roadworthiness checks, mechanical servicing, and thorough detailing. “We don’t cut corners,” Streets said. “We don’t want to just get a car in and rush it out the gate. We want to make sure it’s got good tyres on it, that it’s cleaned properly, and [we’re] happy to sell it.”
To reach potential buyers, Streets relies heavily on online advertising. He subscribes to a dealer portal that lists vehicles across platforms like Gumtree, CarsGuide, and AutoTrader, which he says offers the most reliable exposure. While many dealerships turn to social media, Streets finds traditional online platforms more effective. “I find that I still predominantly get more sales off the dealer portal,” he said. Even so, walk-ins remain a significant part of his business. “Deloraine’s a small town, but we still get a lot of walk-ins. We might catch someone that’s coming from Launceston or Devonport or Burnie, that’s just seen it online and come in.”
Despite the demands of running the dealership, Streets finds the unpredictability of car sales one of the most rewarding parts of the job. “There’s no limit to what you might see with the sale of a car, and I love that side of it,” he said. Some buyers spend hours deliberating, returning for multiple looks before making a decision. Others buy sight unseen, like a customer in Victoria who purchased a vehicle over the phone and had it shipped across state lines. “Sunday night, I had a guy come up from Hobart and picked a vehicle up at about 8:30pm. Just rang me up and said he’s coming up and he wants to buy it.”
Looking ahead, Streets has ambitious plans for the business. His goal is to purchase the premises and expand the dealership’s footprint. “We’ve got a lot more exposure up the back here,” he said. “This can handle another two rows. So we could probably double the stock here.” The yard also includes facilities for detailing and mechanical work, providing opportunities for future growth.
But beyond expansion, Streets’ commitment to Deloraine remains at the heart of his plans. “I’ve got total confidence in Deloraine,” he said. “I think it’s a great town. I love Deloraine.”
