MIDDLETOWN -- After almost 35 years of selling cars on Aquidneck Island, the Newport Autocenter will close in 30 days, according to The Newport Daily News

Peter Capodilupo, a co-owner of the firm for the past 17 years, held a meeting late Thursday and told the 29 employees that not enough people are buying cars from the dealership to stay open.

"It's the worst thing I've ever had to do in business, to stand in front of a great group of people and tell them they are out of work," he said during an interview on Friday.

"We've already consolidated and we've laid off people," he said. "It worked for a while, but sales just kept dropping. We don't know where the bottom is."