A new trend?: BMW opens dealership at mall
04-30-06, 03:15 PM
#1
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A new trend?: BMW opens dealership at mall
BMW dealer opens dealership at mall
Kansas City Business Journal - 1:08 PM CDT Tuesday
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascit...4/daily16.html
Kansas City Business Journal - 1:08 PM CDT Tuesday
Kansas City's lone BMW dealer on Tuesday opened the luxury car maker's first dealership in a shopping mall.
Merriam-based Baron BMW has opened a satellite, "boutique-style" dealership in Overland Park's Oak Park Mall, the company said in a release Tuesday.
Baron already displayed cars throughout the Oak Park Mall. Adding a showroom was "the next logical step," the company said.
Customers will be able to test-drive BMWs in a specially marked area outside the mall.
Baron BMW President Marion Battaglia said in the release that auto dealerships today must go beyond traditional outlets and find new ways to reach out to customers.
The new dealership will be run like a car boutique, complete with a coffee bar and computer kiosks where customers can choose options for a new vehicle, the company said. The dealership also will be the site of fashion shows, benefits, new car introductions and other special events.
The new dealership is on the lower level just outside the entrance to Nordstrom. An official grand opening ceremony is planned for May 13.
Merriam-based Baron BMW has opened a satellite, "boutique-style" dealership in Overland Park's Oak Park Mall, the company said in a release Tuesday.
Baron already displayed cars throughout the Oak Park Mall. Adding a showroom was "the next logical step," the company said.
Customers will be able to test-drive BMWs in a specially marked area outside the mall.
Baron BMW President Marion Battaglia said in the release that auto dealerships today must go beyond traditional outlets and find new ways to reach out to customers.
The new dealership will be run like a car boutique, complete with a coffee bar and computer kiosks where customers can choose options for a new vehicle, the company said. The dealership also will be the site of fashion shows, benefits, new car introductions and other special events.
The new dealership is on the lower level just outside the entrance to Nordstrom. An official grand opening ceremony is planned for May 13.
04-30-06, 03:37 PM
#2
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I think it's a pretty innovative idea actually-- they have displayed BMW's and VW's in that mall for quite some time, and being as it is located in the wealthiest county in Kansas, they should do well. Having actual salespeople on hand to answer questions should be better than just having their merchandise get fingerprints all over it from people looking through the glass.
I was sort of shocked last time I was up there to notice that their mall security people were driving X5's and Touraeg's around the parking lot. This gives you an idea of the area, because not every mall has a $40,000+ vehicle tooling around its parking lot looking for suspicious activity.
I was sort of shocked last time I was up there to notice that their mall security people were driving X5's and Touraeg's around the parking lot. This gives you an idea of the area, because not every mall has a $40,000+ vehicle tooling around its parking lot looking for suspicious activity.
04-30-06, 04:13 PM
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Actually, and I don't know if it's still there or not, Saturn of Colorado Springs had a mall-based satellite operation way back in 1992. I don't think they had the parking lot test drive, but they did have a couple of cars in the shop to sit in.
04-30-06, 04:24 PM
#4
The Irvine Spectrum in Orange County, CA is opening a Saleen dealership right beside a Nordstroms.
Who wants to buy an S7 with their Diesel shoes?
By the way, I'm currently in Vegas and went to the Wynn Resort this morning. They have a Ferrari and Maserati dealership in the casino, just in case you win big...
Who wants to buy an S7 with their Diesel shoes?
By the way, I'm currently in Vegas and went to the Wynn Resort this morning. They have a Ferrari and Maserati dealership in the casino, just in case you win big...
04-30-06, 04:47 PM
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GM's Chevrolet division setup a showroom in select malls across the country over the holidays last year. Not a dealership, though. Mini (owned by BMW) also has full dealerships in malls.
04-30-06, 04:48 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Fine, but can you give a BMW a REAL test-drive in a coned-off section of a parking lot....the way they were designed to be driven? Even considering the cautions one normally takes with a brand-new un-broken-in engine and brakes, I think the answer to that is obvious....it would be like taking a Navy / Marine F-18 Hornet up a couple of times around the traffic pattern of a small general aviation airport.
Last edited by mmarshall; 04-30-06 at 04:53 PM.
04-30-06, 05:06 PM
#7
I am intrigued, but skeptical of the cars-in-malls idea. Perhaps it's the stereotype I have of the cars shown in malls--usually cheap or lower-tier models, often part of prize giveaways.
In fact, a case in point for me was the Porsche/Benz/etc dealership in Caesar's Palace's Forum Shops in Las Vegas...for an 'upscale' outfit it had me thinking rather tacky.
So I dunno, I think a nice full-service luxury dealership should be a place all its own, and not need to rely on (or be disturbed by) walk-in traffic. On the other hand, it might be convenient to do your Prada shopping and BMW purchasing at the same time...anyhow this is just a car 'boutique' but how many malls will have these...?
In fact, a case in point for me was the Porsche/Benz/etc dealership in Caesar's Palace's Forum Shops in Las Vegas...for an 'upscale' outfit it had me thinking rather tacky.
So I dunno, I think a nice full-service luxury dealership should be a place all its own, and not need to rely on (or be disturbed by) walk-in traffic. On the other hand, it might be convenient to do your Prada shopping and BMW purchasing at the same time...anyhow this is just a car 'boutique' but how many malls will have these...?
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04-30-06, 05:19 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
On the other hand, if you are not selling high-performance or driver-oriented cars like BMW, Porsche, etc......perhaps the cars-in the-mall idea is not so bad. Maybe Daewoo should have considered this in the 1990's when they first tried to move into the U.S. market under their own name instead of just setting up displays and marketing on on college campuses, or Daihatsu when they also tried to crack the U.S. market in the late 1980's. Neither one survived their own independent experience here, although Daewoo today builds several different vehicles for Chevrolet and Suzuki.
Last edited by mmarshall; 04-30-06 at 05:23 PM.
04-30-06, 05:53 PM
#9
Lexus Champion
Lexus shows their cars at our local mall in front of Marshall Field's... I don't think it looks tacky. I honestly think it improves the appearance of the mall (which needs to be updated anyway). Looks better than the Easter bunny or Santa's displays 
05-01-06, 12:46 AM
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Actually Lexus has a dealer at a mall in Dubai, for over 5 years now! Very nice dealer, spacious, luxurious and has 2 stages, the ground floor is where the cars are displayed, and the 1st floor has a lounge area, called Lexus cafe... 
05-01-06, 02:14 AM
#11
I think it depends on which kind of mall then. If it's a fading, shuttered mall...not good. Another thing is...open air and the display setting. If the car is just out there for anyone to touch, and does not come with much information (and that itself IMO should be of certain standard), then it doesn't seem very becoming.
OK, ok I'm nitpicking...
I think Lexus had the right approach by putting their cars at the Hollywood Bowl, and also with their holographic display in Times Square. At the Hollywood Bowl, the cars are on a pedestal with appropriate titling behind them, and spotlights. Simply stunning.
OK, ok I'm nitpicking...
I think Lexus had the right approach by putting their cars at the Hollywood Bowl, and also with their holographic display in Times Square. At the Hollywood Bowl, the cars are on a pedestal with appropriate titling behind them, and spotlights. Simply stunning.
05-01-06, 11:10 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by PhilipMSPT
The Irvine Spectrum in Orange County, CA is opening a Saleen dealership right beside a Nordstroms.
Who wants to buy an S7 with their Diesel shoes?
By the way, I'm currently in Vegas and went to the Wynn Resort this morning. They have a Ferrari and Maserati dealership in the casino, just in case you win big...
Who wants to buy an S7 with their Diesel shoes?
By the way, I'm currently in Vegas and went to the Wynn Resort this morning. They have a Ferrari and Maserati dealership in the casino, just in case you win big...
When I was at that mall in Febuary it was still under construction.
05-01-06, 11:23 AM
#15
Super Moderator
In Mexico, dealerships at the mall are extremely common and I'm not talking about just a simply display, but an actual store one can walk into.
Having a lot of connections in the industry, I can tell you that they don't work, not even to get people into full-size dealerships. Yet, it usually ends up that some top manager or director started it and doesn't want to kill it since they don't want to look bad, even though it doesn't work.
Remember the Blues Brothers movie and they had that dealership in the mall?
Having a lot of connections in the industry, I can tell you that they don't work, not even to get people into full-size dealerships. Yet, it usually ends up that some top manager or director started it and doesn't want to kill it since they don't want to look bad, even though it doesn't work.
Remember the Blues Brothers movie and they had that dealership in the mall?