Trio of Harley dealerships improve facilities

In what could be a sign of optimism in the industry, three Harley-Davidson dealerships have recently undergone transformations — one joined the Harley family, another moved and a third expanded.

Though work on the interior of Vandervest Harley-Davidson of Green Bay in Wisconsin is continuing, the new dealership has opened the doors of its 30,000-square-foot store, built in an old restaurant. President Rick Vandervest said the Old West-style dealership was designed to be a destination store, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The dealership is decorated with reclaimed wood from old Wisconsin barns and vintage and drag racing bikes. The facility features a two-story showroom, a newly constructed service department and underground storage. Its grand opening is set for Sept. 22.

Rubber City Harley-Davidson held a grand opening celebration Friday for its new Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, location, the Akron Business Journal reported. The dealership, formerly Liberty Harley-Davidson in Akron, was purchased by Mike Davis and is now in a 41,000-square-foot former Circuit City building. The new facility was remodeled by Design Work studios of Santa Ana, Calif. It includes a showroom for 150 motorcycles, PG&A around the perimeter and fitting rooms. A glass-enclosed delivery room just off the showroom gives the sales staff an opportunity to show customers their new bikes and give them one-on-one instruction. A conference room with a capacity of 30-70 will be used for employee training, or it can be rented by other area businesses.

Matthews Harley-Davidson, a 51-year-old staple in Fresno, Calif., hosted an open house Saturday for its latest expansion, which includes a larger showroom and PG&A department, along with a second-story museum, according to The Fresno Bee. The museum features about 20 bikes and rare Harley-Davidson memorabilia.