Baron Automotive in Kansas City will soon be expanding its MINI dealership. Baron’s current operation features BMW and MINI sales and service in one building and a VW dealership in another building on the same site. The decision was recently made to close the VW dealership and move MINI into that space for sales and service.
A $2 million expansion is planned for the stand alone MINI dealer according to the Kansas City Star. The expansion will be completed over the next five to six months.
Baron will cease the VW operations at the end of August making way for construction and renovation to begin on the new MINI space.
According to Don Lindsey, General Manager of Baron, “We just need more capacity, especially for service for BMW and MINI Coopers. We just need more room to grow for both those franchises, and we just see more opportunity with them.â€
What does this say about VW sales compared to MINI and BMW, at least in KC? It doesn’t take much thought to draw your own conclusions.
Get out of the way Mr. Das Auto….. Here comes the British invasion!
Well, I certainly see TONS of MINIs in KC, so that’s no surprise. It’ll be exciting to see what they do with the new space.
How fun.
Wasn’t Baron one of the only dealers that had shared floor space with BMW’s? I thought I remember that in the begining MINIUSA mandated that dealers setup standalone showrooms as part of the deal in getting a MINI franchise.
So is Baron going to move the VW facility or just quit selling VW’s?
Baron’s VW dealership is closing up shop completely – not moving, just closing.
I believe there are some other shared BMW/MINI dealerships in the US but many are breaking out into their own spaces. I don’t know specifically which ones but I’m sure someone will chime in.
<blockquote>Wasn’t Baron one of the only dealers that had shared floor space with BMW’s?</blockquote>Actually, I think there are quite a few MINI dealerships that share sales and service space with BMW. My dealership (MINI of Sterling) does. Technically they have a MINI “wing” in the building, but it isn’t a physically separate building.
The service area is shared with BMW, although certain bays are generally used only by the MINI techs (which makes sense, of course). Unfortunately, the ratio of BMW bays to MINI bays is lopsided. Money talks!
. . . and in another case of success breeding expansion:
MINI of Towson, here in Baltimore, is a standalone dealer with their own service area but they share the BMW dealer’s service reception area. Due to the increased space, sales and service needs of both dealers, MINI of Towson has purchased property across town and will move their entire operation in about a year or so. Kind of ironic, given that there’s not a car on the lot to sell right now.
Bill Jacobs MINI in Naperville, IL, is attached to their BMW franchise. They’re expanding to a new building about half-a-mile from their current location and will be moving in about a year.
I didn’t like the quote: According to Don Lindsey, General Manager of Baron, “We just need more capacity, especially for service for BMW and MINI Coopers”….
Is it because they’re always breaking down??!?!?!?!
🙂
(PS: I’ve had my 08 MINI for 4000 trouble free miles, and I’m loving it!)
didn’t like the quote: According to Don Lindsey, General Manager of Baron, “We just need more capacity, especially for service for BMW and MINI Coopersâ€â€¦.
Is it because they’re always breaking down??!?!?!?!
We bought our 06 MCS new from Baron and have found them to be a great show case dealership. Every time we visit, the facility is abuzz with activity. When you sell more, you service more–especially when the first three years are included.
For the Minis, there are more and more on the road. So service infrastructure has to grow. They’re adding more to the active fleet than wear and tear and accidents remove. This would be true even for very dependable cars as well.
BMWs? Well, I won’t go there….
Matt
Sounds like a really positive step for Baron. I really like their current facilities (where I bought my MINI, actually), but it’s great that now they’ll get their own space. The people are great too. Except that weird guy who put on my bonnet stripes — he was kinda sketchy. 😉
I represent that sketchy comment. 😀