Williamson's moving continues dealership shuffle/ lots of new cars parking in Lincoln automotive market

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By RODD CAYTON / Lincoln Journal Star

When Williamson Honda started doing business Thursday at its new location, 2770 Yankee Hill Road, the dealership became the latest to join a trend of auto retailers leaving the O Street corridor for either North or South 27th Street.

Like another dealership to change locations recently, Sid Dillon Buick-Nissan-Hyundai, Williamson is betting on the south side.

The last few moves by new car dealers had been almost entirely to the I-80 Auto Mall on North 27th.

Williamson general sales manager Ben Murphy said they chose the south location over the I-80 Auto Mall because research showed most of the dealership’s customers live in the southern part of town.

Williamson Honda joins Sid Dillon, which moved south in May,  and DuTeau Chevrolet, in 2000.

Sid Dillon owner Tim Pieper is welcoming the Honda store. He says that the presence of a third dealer will draw more traffic — and sales — to the south.

“I think it’ll be a positive for all of us,” Pieper said. “And for the customer, too.”

Murphy said dealerships that have moved to larger new locations have seen a 15 to 30 percent increase in sales within a year of the move; he said Williamson Honda’s expectations are in that range.

Pieper said sales at Sid Dillon have increased, but declined to say by how much.

In addition to getting additional space for services, said Murphy, Williamson Honda will have more space for new vehicles. He said the dealership’s allocation of vehicles will gradually increase, taking the number of rides on site from about 130 this week to around 400 sometime next spring.

Williamson once had several franchises, but recently sold the Volkswagen operation to Saturn of Lincoln owner Dennis Schworer. Renamed Schworer Volkswagen, that dealership is temporarily housed on Superior Street just east of the Saturn store. A permanent Volkswagen dealership should open on North 33rd Street (just north of Saturn of Lincoln) in or about 2007, general manager Ryan Westfall said.

Also in north Lincoln, Bigler Motors, a used car dealer, and Lincoln Auto Plaza, which sells new Suzuki vehicles, are moving to North 27th Street, near the I-80 Auto Mall. Another O Street dealership, Dean Bros. Lincoln-Mercury, is moving, as well

Mike Anderson of Anderson Ford said the dealership has agreed to buy Dean Bros. pending  approval of the sale by Ford Motor Co., which Anderson said he expects will come in October.

Dean Bros. owner John Dean said earlier that he was selling the Lincoln-Mercury franchise rights.

If the approval is secured, Anderson said, new Lincoln-Mercury vehicles will be sold from the existing Ford-Mazda building, but the dealership could erect a separate Lincoln-Mercury building in the future. Anderson Ford president Roger Anderson co-owns about six acres in the auto mall, said Mike Anderson, Roger’s son.

Besides Volkswagen, Williamson also sold Mitsubishis and Oldsmobiles.

The former Williamson Mitsubishi is now operating at 1235 W. O St., under new ownership; Capitol Mitsubishi’s Chad Miltner could not be reached for comment.

The Oldsmobile franchise was bought by General Motors when the automaker decided to shut down the division, Murphy said.

Williamson Honda doesn’t anticipate adding staff, Murphy said, because the dealership kept many of its employees from when it had multiple brands.

The Williamson dealership is leaving the neighborhood in which it was founded more than 60 years ago as Lincoln. Motor Co. Owner Jim Williamson said the dealership had outgrown the location, but was still reluctant to leave downtown and its customers who work in the area. He said the Antelope Valley downtown revitalization and flood-control project forced the dealership’s hand — the property was acquired for the redevelopment project.  

The Williamson properties east of 21st St. on N sold for $3,618,800, said Clint Thomas, a real estate agent for the city’s Urban Development Department.    The company still owns property on the west side of 21st Street.

To continue to meet the needs of downtown customers, Williamson said, the dealership is trying to secure space downtown for a service center.  The Williamson Honda body shop at 2030 N. St. will remain open indefinitely, he said.

The move presents both a hassle and an opportunity, said Williamson, but more of the latter.

Example: because the dealership performs almost 20,000 oil changes a year, said Williamson, it should be able to meet its heating needs solely using waste oil as fuel.

Reach Rodd Cayton at 473-7107 or rcayton@journalstar.com.