Bill Crowder's plan is to hit the ground running with a major expansion to his Signature Automotive Group next spring, which means you will see a fair amount of site preparation work on the east side of his sprawling property at Napier & Union Avenues in Benton Township over the next several weeks.
Crowder is establishing a Used Car Super Center that will be anchored in his Mitsubishi showroom with two acres of used car inventory when winter breaks in the spring and paving can be accomplished at that time.
Crowder told me this morning that he is investing $200,000 in infrastructure for the new lot and will have more than half-a-million dollars in additional inventory when the Signature Automotive Group's Used Car Super Center enters the market next spring. Already a major new car leader in the market, Crowder wants to own that segment even moreso with a dramatic enhancement of product offering including affordable used cars at price points under $12,000…a considerable increase in the truck trade…and a nice supply of use luxury vehicles including the popular Lexus brand which typically flies off of his lot.
The Mitsubishi showroom will serve a dual purpose as the anchor to his Used Car Super Center, which will have a new entrance off of Napier for ease of access to used vehicle shoppers.
Signature Automotive Group already has five acres, so the new expansion will bring that up to 7 acres along with more than 33,000 square feet under roof in the multiple showrooms, offices, service center and customer lounge operations on site. The dealership is home to Toyota, Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands along with the growing contingent of used vehicles on the lot and on the way.
Crowder says local contractors from Hollerbach Excavating, IBID County Electric and Arnt Asphalt will be performing the site work and construction of the new lot between his existing building and New York Fried Chicken next door.
Crews will be excavating the property, performing tree removals, laying drain pipes and electrical conduit for future lighting and the lot's gravel base this fall and paving and light pole installation will follow when the winter weather breaks in the spring of 2017. Plans are to add additional sales staff members to work the Used Car Super Center as well.
Regarding the substantial investment, Crowder tells me, "The truck and used car market is changing and growing stronger and we will invest heavily into it to better serve our customers as we have for the past 27 years we've been in business in the Benton Harbor marketplace."
Site work is getting underway with heavy equipment already on site, permits have been garnered and the Signature Used Car Super Center is just months away from becoming a reality in Michigan's Great Southwest. Stay tuned.
