SoCal Lexus Dealership Goes Big…Real BIG!
Dining, shopping, weddings, and even a summer concert series? Sounds like a mega-mall, right? Well, this is actually the Lexus dealership of the future.
For most, the process of buying or leasing a new car is a dreadful experience. We typically plan on wasting the better part of a day needlessly haggling with some salesperson. Then, after hours of signing paperwork, we drive away exhausted, turning what should be a joyful experience into one that most would love to forget.
For years, dealerships have worked to make the act of car shopping a pleasant experience. Yet few have succeeded. But aside from simplifying the process, why not work to change the perception of what a dealership is? Why not make it a destination that you want to go to rather than a place you have to go?
That’s the concept behind Southern California’s Lexus Escondido, a place that’s actually more of an entertainment/dining/shopping facility than a dealership. But that isn’t to say they don’t also sell a bunch of cars at the 326,000 square foot complex that is located near San Diego. But a good portion of that space, called The Centre, is packed with an upscale restaurant, library, salon, boutique clothing store, and even an art gallery. Then there’s the 25,000 square feet of outdoor space, used to host everything from weddings to a summer concert series. And the concerts aren’t just any old shows by bands you never heard of. Nope. This joint hosts shows by popular artists like three-time Grammy nominated British jazz band Acoustic Alchemy and renowned pianist David Benoit.
The entire concept is geared toward one simple idea: Change the way customers perceive dealerships.
“When they do happen to be buying or leasing their next car, they know us,” Drew Davis, G.M. of The Centre tells Automotive News. “They feel relaxed and comfortable here, and they’ve walked past that red Lexus four times when they’ve come to get their hair done or whatever, and they think of us.”
The idea is incredibly simple yet incredibly genius. The concept breaks down that age-old wall of anxiety between customer and car dealership. But it also enhances the service experience by offering something even more valuable: convenience.
“It’s about respecting people’s time,” Davis explains. “Time is their most precious commodity today, and if they can come here and do multiple things at once and really maximize their time, you’re really taking care of them.”
