If you visit Olympia’s Les Schwab dealership at their new location on Plum St. and Union between March 31 and April 2, expect a carnival atmosphere. The company will be celebrating their move with a grand opening that includes a car show and a fast pitch machine, says Manager Irl Rhodes. “We’ll be giving away balloons to kids and generally creating a party feeling,” he says. Les Schwab will also be offering sale prices during those three days.
The relocation marked the end of an era at State Street, where the company operated for nearly 38 years after parent company Shaub Ellison purchased the property in 1979. Rhodes isn’t sure about the exact history of the previous site but says he’s heard stories. “Kaiser Fuel owned it prior to us,” he says. “I’ve heard it was a Dairy Queen and a bus station at different points.”
Ultimately space was the determining factor in the move. “This is a much bigger location that is more accessible for cars,” says Rhodes, who has managed the Olympia store for over five years and been with Shaub Ellison for 32. “Trucks also have access that we didn’t have downtown. They aren’t our main focus, but it’s one of the byproducts of being out here by the freeway.”
The biggest benefits of the new site are size and functionality, he says. A reinforced concrete slab can accommodate large trucks, and they’ll have plenty of room to maneuver. The new store will include five service bays to be used for brakes, alignment, and shocks and six for tires. It will also provide more modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi, computers, device outlets in the waiting area.
Shaub-Ellison actually acquired three parcels on the corner of Union and Plum back in 2007, but has been waiting for existing leases to expire before taking action. “There was a Cadillac dealership and Mike’s Plum St. Automotive and Express Lube,” says Rhodes. Mike’s has since moved to a new location on Cooper Point Road in West Olympia.
Shaub Ellison tore down one of the existing buildings to create a new showroom for Les Schwab, and has plans to develop a restaurant in the former Express Lube spot. They also gained a car wash, convenience store and gas station through the purchase.
Since their soft opening at the beginning of March, Rhodes says they’ve been pleased – and a bit relieved – to see a lot of familiar faces along with many new ones. “Our biggest concern was about alienating existing customers through the move,” he says. “We think it’s going great. We’re seeing new people every day and still seeing a lot of our regular people.”
For more information about Les Schwab visit www.lesschwab.com/store/wa/olympia/s20 or call 360-943-0870.
