Eisinger gets ready to move north
A few rows of new Honda vehicles are lined up outside the new Eisinger Honda dealership slated to open later this month on the north end of Kalispell. Eisinger Automotive Group’s Chevy-Cadillac division will move into a larger building on the same lot by the end of April. Karen Nichols/Daily Inter Lake
Eisinger Honda is not far from making its move to the junction of U.S. 93 and West Reserve - it should be there by the end of January.
The company's Chevrolet-Cadillac store should follow at the end of April.
After a season of construction at the busy highway intersection on Kalispell's north end, Greg Eisinger said last week that Eisinger Automotive Group is ready to gain some much-needed elbow room.
"Our business has far outgrown this present location," he said. Eisinger Automotive leased the land at the corner of Meridian Road and U.S. 2 West when it went into business 13 years ago.
"Our sales volume has increased every year for the past seven years."
He said sales for the Chevy-Cadillac division, including new and used cars, service, labor and parts, grew from $29 million in 2000 to $45 million in 2007.
Honda sales have followed suit.
From the end of 2005, when the company bought out High Country Honda's business on U.S. 2 East in Evergreen, through the end of 2007, he said new Honda sales doubled to more than 500 vehicles.
Greg Eisinger is general manager for the Chevy-Cadillac store. His son Ben Eisinger is general manager at the Honda store. The company also includes partners based in South Dakota.
The two divisions will remain in separate buildings - with the Honda building closest to West Reserve Drive - but will share the same 12-acre lot at their new location.
Eisinger said both their present properties are leased.
Chevy-Cadillac will have 41,000 square feet under roof, a boost from the 27,000 square feet on its present 4.5 acres.
The showroom will have space for about seven vehicles, up from the three vehicles the current showroom accommodates.
The Honda store will triple sales and service space to 22,000 square feet. That will allow about four vehicles on the showroom floor, a big improvement from the current cramped quarters with no usable showroom space.
Twenty-seven service stalls are being built at the Chevy-Cadillac store, up from the current 18.
Honda's new quarters will have 13 service bays, up from five at the Evergreen location.
Both stores will share an automatic car wash attached to the Chevy-Cadillac building so vehicles are returned clean after being serviced.
In addition, each store will have a separate quick-lube service that lets a customer drive through for oil changes rather than pulling into the dealership.
Inside, the amenities will suit the clientele.
At the Honda store, Eisinger said, a complete espresso service will be available. In the Chevy-Cadillac store, a two-sided gas fireplace will anchor the waiting area. Both will have designated children's play areas, big-screen televisions and wireless access.
The new facilities represent a $14 million investment in land and construction costs for Eisinger. Currently the Chevy-Cadillac dealership employs 60 people; there are 33 working at Eisinger Honda.
Eisinger expects to add more jobs when the automotive enterprises expand at the new location.
Reporter Nancy Kimball may be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com
The new site will have three entrances. On U.S. 93, there will be one access to the far northern end of the lot and another about half-way back to the intersection's traffic light. The third will be off West Reserve Drive.