MOTORCYCLE – KTM PLANS CONCEPT STORE IN OHIO
Officials at KTM Motorsports, Inc. say they signed an agreement with Matt Glawe, president of Avon Laporte Cycles, Elyria, Ohio, to form a partnership that will continue the operation of the dealership as a KTM Concept Store.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, KTM representatives told Powersports Business that KTM will own 100% of Avon Laporte Cycle through the deal.
Glawe recently was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that limited his ability to work in the shop.
“Matt will be involved, as needed, in an advisory position to help with the transition,” said Rod Bush, president of KTM North America, Inc. “Matt’s experience and knowledge of the local area is very important and valuable to all involved in this project.”
KTM says Avon Laporte Cycles is one of the brand’s longest standing dealers in the United States. Although Avon LaPorte will continue motorcycle unit and parts sales and service under its existing KTM Dealer Agreement and DMV license, KTM also plans to develop the retail location as an operational training center for KTM staff and dealers to “refine its business operations to better serve its national dealer network.”
“The idea behind the KTM Concept Store is to create a store that will showcase all of the KTM tools that are available to all U.S. dealers,” Bush said. “The initiative with the Avon Laporte store will give us the opportunity to train our staff with the valuable experience of ‘a day in the life of a KTM dealer.’ Given a real world experience, our staff will have the opportunity to see the things that are important to our dealers first hand. This will provide an understanding of how to be more effective in working and assisting dealers’ needs.
“In the past few years, we have experienced extreme growth and we have recognized that we need to start focusing on the importance of training on the KTM Brand, branding tools and the KTM personal heritage to the company. The operational training center will focus on key areas of merchandising, customer service and finance. This will emphasize how KTM tools can represent opportunity to dealers to ensure KTM is a leading profit center in their business.”
Bush said the KTM Concept Store will not have a merchandising competitive advantage over other active and participating dealers, and he said KTM has no plan to use its Avon Laporte dealership as a base for a direct Internet sales outlet.
The facility as it stands now is unfinished. Total investment is yet to be determined, but Jon-Erik Burleson, KTM vice president and financial controller, said the investments, upgrades and improvements will take place over the next 24-36 months.
