New and Modern Dealerships Keep Coming

New dealerships are opening across the country. Dealer principals include a famous sports legend. Designs include a 2-story showroom with room upstairs for displaying dozens of cars.

Here are some recent openings:

Baseball legend Hank Aaron adds to his dealership holdings with the opening of Hank Aaron Toyota in McDonough, GA.

The 52,000-sq.-ft. facility incorporates Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.'s new modern dealership design, Image USA II.

There are 39 service bays, express tire and lube services, a complimentary snack bar and an interactive children's play area. There are about 60 employees.

“This new dealership and its beautiful facility is about more than simply selling cars, it's about being an integral part of this great community,” says Aaron who also owns BMW stores in Georgia.

In Durham, NC, Mark Jacobson opens a namesake store, Mark Jacobson Toyota.

“This new dealership reinforces our commitment to be the best in sales and service, for all the right reasons,” says Jacobson.

A grand opening featured a live band, an all-American cookout, a contest to win a new Camry and giveaways, including Mark Jacobson bobble-head dolls.

The dealership covers 60,000 sq. ft. and employs 170 associates.

In Bellevue, WA, Auto Center Northwest opens a new Jaguar-Land Rover showroom, touted as one of the largest and most contemporary on the West Coast.

The 33,000-sq.-ft. retail space includes 2-story glass windows, a children's play room, coffee bar and Internet station.

“Our extraordinary new showroom is built especially with our customers in mind,” says owner Al Monjazeb. “It features a living-room style seating area, complete with a fireplace and plush couches. The second level will showcase classic cars, providing an opportunity to appreciate one-of-a-kind luxury automobiles.”

Jaguar-Land Rover Bellevue features distinct display areas for the two brands as well as a 2-car freight elevator to take vehicles to the second-story display room, which has a 40-vehicle capacity. An accessories boutique is on the ground level.

Design elements include cove and stage lighting, Douglas fir-paneled vaulted ceilings and a porcelain-tile shaped compass.

Auto Center Northwest in the Puget Sound area also sells Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Lamborghinis and rare classic cars.

In Belle Vernon, PA, the Tom Clark Auto Family has added a new full-service dealership, Tom Clark Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Subaru.

“We're excited about this new facility,” says Tom Clark, Jr. “It will deliver a first-class car-buying experience to customers in our traditional family atmosphere, which features a spacious showroom, comfortable amenities, attentive service and a wide selection of new and pre-owned vehicles.”

One of Pittsburgh's most successful family-operated dealership groups, Tom Clark Sr. started the business in 1968 with a used car lot in McKeesport. Since then son Tom Jr. and nephew Tim Seale have joined the business as active owners.