Bill Kay, whose local Chrysler dealership was one of hundreds closed by the struggling automaker this spring, will remain an Ogden Avenue fixture — this time as a Suzuki dealer.
The announcement was made by EDC President Greg Bedalov at Tuesday’s village council meeting.
Kay’s Suzuki franchise is expected to generate about two-thirds the sales of his Chrysler dealership, or about $12 million to $15 million a year. That translates to up to $150,000 in annual sales tax to the village. In Illinois, sales tax on cars is calculated on purchase price less trade-in value.
The announcement adds some gravy to the Harold Zeigler Automotive Group’s decision to bring a state-of-the-art Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership to Downers Grove. That facility, which recently opened at 2311 W. Ogden Ave., is expected to ring up more than $100 million in sales annually.
“The Suzuki franchise is, in essence, found money,” Bedalov told the council.
The two new dealerships further cement the reputation of our stretch of Ogden Avenue as Auto Row. With fewer franchises spread farther apart as automakers consolidate their sales efforts, the expectation is that car buyers will travel greater distances to locales that offer several options.
Congrats Bill Kay Suzuki! This is a big win for Downers Grove and for Bill Kay Automotive Group!! The EDC is really working overtime to keep Downers Grove a great place to live, work, shop and dine. Mr. Bedalov and staff keep up the awesome work!!
Now let’s hope that GM doens’t have Bill Kay’s Pontiac-GMC-Buick dealer on its list for closure. One would assume that since Bill Kay bought out the Buick dealership, where Saturn of Downers Grove is now located, that the the dealership is planned to stay open.
I wonder what the EDC has in store for the space Stillwater has occupied. That is the 5th restaurant to fail in that spot. But other food places have thrived in other spots in downtown.
As for the car deealerships…anything to keep my taxes down is a good thing for DG.
I hate to be the culinary grim reaper, but I knew Stillwater was doomed from the day I read an advance copy of their menu at the Main Street station. It was unfocused, no direction. Was it a wine bar? A french bistro? An American bistro? Nacho’s sharing a menu with Dover Sole as an entrée is a recipe for fail. Either way, I’m sure the owners poured a lot of heart and soul into the place and I wish them the best. If nothing else, they finally solved the whole ’2 restaurants 1 kitchen’ arrangement that plagued every other occupant of that space.
The Cellar Door or Gatto’s are perfect examples of how, even in challenging times, a restaurant that is focused on what it does best and knows what its customers want can still thrive in our downtown. I would rather sit at Cellar Door than DOC in Lombard and I would absolutely prefer to eat at Capri (or Gatto’s) than Topo Gigio or Brio. Amber in Westmont has been successful because they offer a dining experience that’s unique, focused and really good.
If you do it better, customers will find you.
Meat,
I agree with your assessment of Stillwater.
I would love to see an upscale steak house with a nice drink/wine selection. The kind of place with a focus on doing a few things very, very well!
A place like Vie in WS would be nice….They have steaks, use locally grown foods and while the menu changes frequently the style is consistent.
KellyDGM,
Vie looks very nice! I like the simple menu with what looks like very tasty and unique foods.
KellyDGN, don’t forget to mention that Vie will set you back $100 for two very easily. Can Western Springs pull that off? Yes, because it pulls from WS, Hinsdale, LaGrange and Burr Ridge. DG on the other hand would have to pull from DG, Westmont and Darien.
I see families in Gatto’s getting a good meal at a fair price. If another concept under similar price and experience were to open up, it might work. But I have serious doubts a Vie like place will work in DG.
Again, ATI will increase foot traffic in downtown and from what I have heard, that is what many store owners want. Oh, and that the landlords for many of those spaces charge WAY, WAY too much in rent. That info is straight from the EDC.
dgombudsman,
where would I find the data by the EDC that state’s rents charged by our downtown landlords is too high? Is it on there website or something?
Meanwhile us low rollers will be enjoying the $6.95 special at
White Fence.
Mr. Maqgoo,
Discuss it with EDC members. I didn’t specifically ask that question, but it came up while discussing the Central Business District and it’s challenges.
If you can afford a $700 stroller and $50K + car you can afford $100 dinner for 2 and I see alot of those strollers and cars around around town. Capri is not so inexpensive either and we need some good restaurant variety in the CBD.
Before a new business comes into the old Still Waters they will need to check with all those opposing ATI first……..not!
I’m confused. How did an article about the Chrysler dealer turn into a discussion about DG restaurants? Not too far off point!
Wonder what will go into this location since there are no requiremnts for sales tax revenue.
Tammy, Nicole or Bill do you have any ideas? Bring them forward soon before we have a Dentist moving in.
BAD NEWS:
GM to end Saturn brand as buyer drops bid
General Motors said Tuesday it would wind down its Saturn brand after talks broke off with Penske Automotive Group on a bid for the nameplate.
GM said in a statement that Penske “has decided to terminate discussions” to acquire Saturn “because of the inability to source new products beyond what it had asked GM to build on contract.”
“This is very disappointing news and comes after months of hard work by hundreds of dedicated employees and Saturn retailers who tried to make the new Saturn a reality,” the US automaker said.
As a result of the decision, GM said, “we will be winding down the Saturn brand and dealership network, in accordance with the wind-down agreements that Saturn dealers recently signed with GM.”
Penske said in a separate statement it had been unable to secure a deal with a car manufacturer to produce vehicles after the expiration of an agreement with GM to make cars on a contract basis.
“Penske Automotive Group negotiated the terms and conditions of an agreement with another manufacturer; however, that agreement was rejected by that manufacturer’s board of directors,” the statement said.
“Without that agreement, the company has determined that the risks and uncertainties related to the availability of future products prohibit the company from moving forward with this transaction.”
Penske agreed in June to acquire the Saturn brand in a deal aimed at saving some 350 dealerships and 13,000 jobs at Saturn and its retailers in the United States.
Penske, a big auto dealership operator headed by former race car driver Roger Penske, made the deal shortly after GM filed for bankruptcy protection in a government-backed reorganization.
GM was to continue to produce Saturn cars on a contract basis, including the Saturn Aura sedan, and the Vue and Outlook sport utility vehicles.
Saturn began selling cars in 1990 as GM created the unit to build inexpensive cars to compete with Japanese automakers. It has sold more than four million vehicles.
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One big win followed by another loss for Ogden Ave!