Construction workers at Peach Chevrolet in Brewton are busy remodeling the dealership to match a corporate-mandated design that will help the dealership stay competitive, owner Chip Peach said.
The centerpiece of the new design — a blue Chevrolet arch on the front of the building — is similar to that of Chevy dealerships across the country.
The renovations, expected to take about three months, were somewhat of an unexpected expense, Peach said, but they will benefit customers in several ways.
“We will be able to offer customer incentives because of this renovation,” Peach said.
The showroom floor itself will also be more welcoming for customers, Peach said.
“It will be open and more customer friendly,” he said.
A new customer lounge is part of the design — one that will offer refreshments for those waiting. Offices for salespeople will also be open to the showroom floor.
Peach admits this wasn’t the best time to undergo a major renovation, as dealerships across the country continue to maneuver out of the worst recession since the Great Depression. “The right time to do it would have been four or five years down the road,” he said. “But I have to do it to stay competitive.”
The soon-to-be-renovated building sits along one of the entrance corridors into Brewton, and Peach said he was also committed to using local workers for much of the renovations. While some work had to be done by Chevrolet contractors, the bulk of it is overseen by Rusty Miller of Turning Leaf in Brewton.
Miller said the work, which began two weeks ago, is expected to take 90 days.