Rocky’s Autos — and the Denver dealership’s legendary TV commercials — are no more as business closes after 40 years

Rocky’s Autos, the Denver used car dealership known for its creative TV commercials, is officially dissolving after four decades in business.

The lot at 6350 N. Federal Blvd. was largely empty Wednesday afternoon, although the lights were on and on-site messaging still proclaimed it as “Colorado’s largest volume dealer since 1982.”

Rocky’s Autos is recognized widely by Coloradans for its commercials starring Ron Vigil, Audra Borden and Odell Stroud.

Vigil broke the news on Facebook on Tuesday, writing, “Rocky’s Autos has closed down.” He played the character “Shagman” — a descriptor for “automotive sanitational engineers specializing in vehicular cosmetic enhancement,” according to a 1996 commercial.

“After 40 years of being a family business in an ever-aggressive industry, I’m proudly walking away with my head held higher than I thought I would,” Vigil wrote. “It was an honor and distinct privilege to work for an independent corporation with creative standards truly outside the norm, and I’d like to think I was a big part of it… Now, does anybody have a job for me?”