43
Local Honda dealership celebrates 25 years
By Kalea Hall
BOARDMAN
In its 25-year history, Boardman’s Honda Store at 448 Boardman-Canfield Road has expanded its selection, customer base and sales.
The years its staff have with the Honda brand has also grown to a total of 500 years altogether.
“It provides stability,” said Joe Hrusovsky, the general sales manager.
That stability has allowed the dealership to not only survive a General Motors-loyal market, but thrive.
When it first started on U.S. Route 224, the dealership averaged 25 sales a month. Now, it averages 100.
“We keep on going up,” said Nick Siciliano, general manager.
Siciliano has been with the Honda Store from the beginning when he opened the dealership with Dave Flynn of Flynn Auto Group. Flynn Auto Group — the largest automotive group in eastern Ohio — operates Donnell Ford in Boardman, Power Chevrolet Buick GMC in Calcutta, Donnell Salem Ford Lincoln in Salem and Columbiana Buick Cadillac Chevrolet and Performance Trucks in New Waterford.
Back in the 1990s, the Honda product line was thin, and it was difficult to get cars. The dealership only had about 13 new cars on the ground. Honda took care of that and sent some more product. Today, the dealership has eight lines of vehicles.
That first year the store made 300 new-car sales. This is compared with the 2014 sales number of 1,100. Eleven years ago, the store took on the title of Eastern Ohio’s No. 1 volume dealer, and it hasn’t left. The increase in sales over the past few years is attributed to a few factors.
“That’s because of the quality salespeople, great leases and a good product,” Siciliano said. “We have put a dent in the market for GM.”
Local sales reports show the dealership working its way up the line to the top dealers for both new and used car sales.
In December, the dealership sold 109 vehicles, up from 93 the previous year. This is according to data released by the Automobile Dealers Association of Eastern Ohio, which releases reports based on the titles processed at county departments by the final business day each month.
For 2014, the numbers show the dealership with 1,518 new and used vehicles sold for a 6.5 percent increase from 2013.
Leases have been a big part of the sales for the dealership since 1996 when that form of auto financing really took off.
The store’s top-three vehicles are the Honda Accord, the Civic and the CR-V.
Loyal customers have kept up the momentum at the dealership. Some customers have bought 10 to 12 cars from the Honda Store.
“It seems like once someone is in a Honda, they kind of stay,” Hrusovsky said.
The dealership hopes to do more sales this year than last, like it has in recent years.
“Every year has been a steppingstone,” Siciliano said.
There is a lot to look forward to for the sales staff of 10.
A new 2016 Pilot with different technology and style will make its debut, and a new vehicle, the HR-V crossover, also will open the doors to new options for customers since it comes in two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. It is expected to make its way to the showroom in the summertime.
“The HR-V gives us a new line we have never had before,” Hrusovsky said.
Through the years, the dealership has done its best to retain its nearly 42 employees, including the service and sales members it has. They started with about 25.
“This store doesn’t have turnover,” Hrusovsky said.