Ed Martin Auto GroupThe Only Name You Need to Know
The Only Name You Need to Know
Ed Martin dealership breaks ground on $7.5M expansion
By Dani Palmer
Posted: 10/25/2011 9:05 PM
The Ed Martin dealership in Anderson had a groundbreaking Tuesday for its $7.5 million expansion.
The makeover includes a new building for Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep products — brands it’s never sold before — and a replacement for the current Chevy and Cadillac building pre-dating Ed Martin’s purchase of the property.
Mark Harrison, Ed Martin president and manager, said the dealership had plans four years ago for GM, but backed off with the bankruptcy. Now it’s bringing in GM and Chrysler simultaneously.
The dealership also picked up Toyota in 2009.
Due to the eight different brands that will be sold, Harrison said they plan to call it the Anderson Auto Mall.
Starting fresh, Harrison said it will take a couple of years to get going, but once the expansion matures, the benefits will be visible to the community.
Making $100 million to $110 million in revenue annually, he said the expansion will help in tax dollars and let people “be aware at what’s here,” driving business in industries around the dealership, like the restaurants where people may eat after shopping for a car.
He said the “excitement of bringing new people” in is also a big part of it.
With the expansion, Ed Martin will be adding about 30 jobs to the estimated 100 it has now.
“(The workers) are the backbone of everything we do,” Harrison said.
And he said meeting new customers and their families will be exciting, too.
Ken Montgomery of krM Architecture designed the buildings according to GM and Chrysler’s standards of design.
He said the buildings in place of “a bunch of asphalt” will be pleasing to the community aesthetically.
“Just the appearance out here will look a lot nicer,” he said.
Jack Gannon, dealer network development manager for Chrysler, said Chrysler hasn’t been in this market area in a few years, and thought it was a good time to come back.
He said they did some research and chose Ed Martin based on reputation, sales and customer service.
“We wanted to find the right partner ...” he said. “We feel we have the right partner in Anderson’s Ed Martin.”
According to Gannon, a Chrysler in Anderson is very beneficial to customers who will no longer have to drive out of town for repairs or to buy new models.
Mayor Kris Ockomon said Anderson is continuing to move forward in development and that it’s about “where we’re headed, not where we’ve been.”
He said Ed Martin is a part of that growing future.
The makeover includes a new building for Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep products — brands it’s never sold before — and a replacement for the current Chevy and Cadillac building pre-dating Ed Martin’s purchase of the property.
Mark Harrison, Ed Martin president and manager, said the dealership had plans four years ago for GM, but backed off with the bankruptcy. Now it’s bringing in GM and Chrysler simultaneously.
The dealership also picked up Toyota in 2009.
Due to the eight different brands that will be sold, Harrison said they plan to call it the Anderson Auto Mall.
Starting fresh, Harrison said it will take a couple of years to get going, but once the expansion matures, the benefits will be visible to the community.
Making $100 million to $110 million in revenue annually, he said the expansion will help in tax dollars and let people “be aware at what’s here,” driving business in industries around the dealership, like the restaurants where people may eat after shopping for a car.
He said the “excitement of bringing new people” in is also a big part of it.
With the expansion, Ed Martin will be adding about 30 jobs to the estimated 100 it has now.
“(The workers) are the backbone of everything we do,” Harrison said.
And he said meeting new customers and their families will be exciting, too.
Ken Montgomery of krM Architecture designed the buildings according to GM and Chrysler’s standards of design.
He said the buildings in place of “a bunch of asphalt” will be pleasing to the community aesthetically.
“Just the appearance out here will look a lot nicer,” he said.
Jack Gannon, dealer network development manager for Chrysler, said Chrysler hasn’t been in this market area in a few years, and thought it was a good time to come back.
He said they did some research and chose Ed Martin based on reputation, sales and customer service.
“We wanted to find the right partner ...” he said. “We feel we have the right partner in Anderson’s Ed Martin.”
According to Gannon, a Chrysler in Anderson is very beneficial to customers who will no longer have to drive out of town for repairs or to buy new models.
Mayor Kris Ockomon said Anderson is continuing to move forward in development and that it’s about “where we’re headed, not where we’ve been.”
He said Ed Martin is a part of that growing future.
Visit www.EdMartinCDJR.com
Contact Dani Palmer: 640-4847 or dani.palmer@heraldbulletin.com.
