NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy Region Mid-Atlantic has added a Chesapeake car dealership to its "off-limits list," banning Hampton Roads service members from going to businesses taking part in "unethical business practices."
Image Auto Group LLC, located at 1207 South Military Hwy. in Chesapeake, has been added to the off-limits list for taking advantage of service members.
"Image Auto Group LLCs’ unethical business practices unfairly targets junior service members and takes advantage of their limited financial understanding or ability to walk away from a negotiation," the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs Office shared in a press release on Monday.
The list is sort of like a blacklist. The Navy bans local service members from going to certain businesses they think are untrustworthy or unsafe.
The Chesapeake car dealership marks the 14th business to join the list.
Below are the additional 13 businesses on the off-limits list as of Sept. 8:
- Icon Motor Sports, 2400 Indian River Rd., Norfolk
- 7 City’s Custom & Design, 1062 37th St., Norfolk
- 7 City’s Custom & Design, 117 E. Princess Anne Rd., Norfolk
- Autoworks, 6100 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk
- D Motors, 881 E. Little Creek Rd., Norfolk
- Best Price Auto Sales AKA US Auto Excellence, 3336 Holland Rd, Virginia Beach
- Mellow Smoke Tobacco Shop, 201 E. Berkely Ave., Ste. C, Norfolk
- Outer Edge Gifts, 760-B J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News
- Prime Auto AKA Skyline Auto, 4114 E. Indian River Rd, Chesapeake
- The Vault, 389 W. 21st St., Norfolk
- The Vault, 15435-B Warwick Blvd., Newport News
- The Vault, 731 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News
- TKYU Bar, 1910 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach
“Lots of great businesses in this area support our sailors in the community, but when we do see abuses, we’re going to act to ensure that we take care of our folks,” Rear Admiral Scott Gray said in a previous interview.
The off-limits list isn’t just for businesses engaging in unfair financial practices. Navy leaders say a business can be on there if it’s dangerous.
However, these businesses have a chance to be removed from the list if they demonstrate at the next meeting of the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board (AFDCB) that they have taken the necessary "corrective actions."
"Establishments are given an opportunity to notify the AFDCB in writing that corrective actions have occurred. Removal from the list will be considered by the board upon presentation that satisfactory corrective actions have been taken. Failure to respond will result in the board making a request for establishment representatives to appear in person at a formal hearing of the AFDCB," the Navy said.
