COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Bill Heard Enterprises, one of the leading sellers of Chevrolet vehicles in the country, has closed all 13 of its dealerships.

According to a company statement released Wednesday through Atlanta public relations professional Alan Ulman, the closures will affect about 2,700 employees.

The statement says the company did not have the resources to continue operating. It cites factors including rising fuel prices, an inventory dominated by trucks and SUVs, economic recession, unfavorable market conditions and the current banking and financial crises.

The Columbus-based company has five dealerships in Georgia and nine in six other states—Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas.