A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday, July 1, at the site of the new 24,000-sqaure foot Chevrolet Buick dealership building at 111 W. Madison St. in Clintonville.
“Parts of our old facility were 70 years old,” said Charlie Klein, owner of Klein Chevrolet Buick. “With this new build, we’ll be incorporating up to date technologies to help maximize the customer’s experience.
“It’s not something we’d been entertaining,” he continued. “But we had two parties-Kwik Trip and Walgreens- approach us about purchasing our current properties.” Charlie and John Klein worked diligently with both parties to put the agreement for the land transition together.
“We’re excited about our new construction and view it as a reinvestment in the Clintonville community that has supported us throughout the years,” said Charlie Klein.
Klein Chevrolet Buick will be one of the first all new Chevrolet dealerships north of Madison that conforms to the new GM facility image program.
“With the new facility image, it demonstrates their commitment to customer satisfaction and the customer experience,” said Ryan Cruikshank, district sales manager, General Motors. “We want to give our loyal Chevrolet and Buick customers more than expected with our products and services and also reach out to customers who may not have considered the brands.”
The new Klein Chevrolet Buick building will be able to accommodate up to 100 vehicles on-site and will include 12 service bays, with three dedicated to full-service auto detailing. There will also be eight auto body stalls for collision damage and a state-of-the-art quick lube capable of doing four oil changes per hour.
Other facility improvements include the addition of a children’s play area, business workstations with wireless internet throughout the dealership and parking lot, an indoor temperature controlled vehicle delivery area, an enclosed service drive, a retail parts center display, and a coffee bar.
The new 22-acre location is just 800 feet west of their current 2-acre location on the corner of Hwy. 45 and Hwy. 22 in downtown Clintonville.
Klein will continue to offer Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep out of its current location. John Klein explained that the Dodge dealership will stay in its current location, while building a new dealership was a matter of timing and the right opportunity coming along.
“We did a major renovation in 1989, and we were facing another major renovation when Kwik Trip came along, giving us a good opportunity to look for a new location,” explained John Klein. He said it is more important to have an efficient facility to serve customers than it is to have the drive-by traffic offered by the Hwy. 45/22 intersection.
“The land we’re moving to on Hwy. 45 has been empty for a while, and without the help of the city, this never would have been possible,” he continued. “City officials have been great-it’s not a matter of whether or not a project will get done, it’s the city asking, ‘how can we help get it done?'”
The Kleins have been in business since 1974, acquiring and consolidating six dealership operations at their current location in Clintonville. Klein sells Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep, as well as GM Certified and other used vehicles.
With the addition of a 10,000 sq. ft. Kwik Trip and 13,000 sq. ft. Walgreens, Klein Chevrolet Buick will be the center point of major development in the City of Clintonville, adding significant dollars to the existing tax base, as well as jobs.
“Growth in a community is always a good thing,” said John Klein. “Residents will benefit from the new jobs created and, I hope, gain a sense of well-being that is a direct reflection of the quality of life they are able to maintain here.”