Bozard Ford Lincoln in St. Augustine, Florida, is the first car dealership in the nation to offer something many wouldn’t expect to be a part of shopping for a new vehicle: onsite dining.
Jeff King, general manager and vice president at Bozard Ford Lincoln, told Mega Dealer News that other dealerships have gone so far as to offer cafes, but his dealership decided to take it a step further, placing Ford’s Garage -- a full restaurant and bar -- right in the middle of the property.
“Customers love it,” King said. “They come get an oil change, and it's a way to kill the time.”
The restaurant and bar have been open since September, and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, business has exceeded expectations by approximately 40%, King said. It’s all part of trying to make Bozard Ford Lincoln the best dealership in the country.
“We have customers that come by every day, not buying a car, but for the restaurant,” King said. “We serve over 6,000 meals a week.”
King said that he has been working on the idea for approximately six years as part of a plan for how to draw in more customers. The concept of the restaurant and bar is to build relationships and brand familiarity, so that when people are in the market for a vehicle, they think of Bozard Ford Lincoln.
“Within the last ten years, we've gone from 42 employees to 286,” King said. “We've gone from a small dealership to top-100 volume dealers for Ford in the last six years. I would say that the community has embraced us the same way we’ve tried to do with them.”
The dealership's involvement in the community doesn’t stop at serving dinner, though. King said that Bozard Ford Lincoln also sponsors local entities and activities, such as First Tee of North Florida and the local Boys & Girls Club.
The Ford’s Garage restaurant at Bozard Ford Lincoln is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., except Fridays and Saturdays, when they close at 11 p.m. On Sundays, the restaurants opens at 10:30 a.m. More information and menus can be found at FordsGarageUSA.com.
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