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Findlay pioneers Valley Automall extension with new Findlay Toyota dealership
June 11, 2008
A couple of years ago while watching a National Hot Rod Association drag race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, automobile magnate Cliff Findlay related that his business was about to embark on a massive endeavor.
"I think I have lost my mind," said Findlay, the president of Findlay Automotive Group, which has become one of the largest privately-owned companies in the state of Nevada. "We are building a new Toyota store three times the size of the one we have now."
During what is supposed to be a down economy, Findlay opened the sparkling new Toyota store last week, and judging by the immediate results generated at the dealership on the east side of U.S. Highway 93, another success story has already begun. In its first day, Findlay Toyota's new location generated 27 sales and ended the week with 265 sales.
Indeed, Findlay - a second generation Nevadan who was part of the original founding members of the Valley Automall in 1993 - has pioneered another automobile business hub with the creation of the 145,000 square-foot facility on 12.5 acres. The store signals the start of an expansion of the Valley Automall and includes 100 service bays, a huge increase over the old store's 30 bays.
In the near future, Findlay Toyota will be followed east of the Highway by Findlay's Audi Henderson along with a various other stores including a Lexus dealership. Valley Automall II as it might be called, is following on the heals of the original concept that opened in 1993.
Findlay Toyota's first store opened in 1998.
"This store has incredible potential," said Findlay Toyota General Manager Rich Abajian, a former UNLV assistant football coach who joined Findlay Oldsmobile in 1983. "Others will follow us here because we led the way."
Additionally, Abajian pointed out that Toyota's commitment to fuel-efficient vehicles is timely especially as gas prices surpass $4 per gallon and are expected to reach $5 per gallon. In fact, if there is an issue nowadays, it's the fact that Findlay Toyota is low on hybrid models, which get many more miles per gallon, depending on the specific model, than their traditional counterparts.
"Toyota has the models that get at least 30 more miles per gallon than any other manufacturer," added Abajian, who was inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame last Friday at the Orleans Arena. "As I told someone the other day, thank God for Toyota."
The success of Toyota to this point along with the new dealership led Abajian to predict cars sales of 1,500 per month in the future. When the original Findlay Toyota opened in 1998, Toyota officials predicted 200 sales a month.
John Barr, the store's general sales manager, said Findlay Toyota posted projected sales during its first week.
"For the first week, we felt everything went very well and we believe the results are going to increase from that mark, too," Barr said.
Darius Eftekhar, who served as new car manager for the dealership for six years before accepting a vehicle product training specialist position recently with Toyota Motor Sales USA in Denver, said he wasn't surprised by the first week results.
"Even with the slower economy, it's a great facility with great product and great people," said Eftekhar. "It's a formula for selling a lot more cars.''
Findlay Automotive Group was founded in 1961 by the late Pete Findlay, who journeyed south from Panaca to open a used car lot called Pete's Used Cars on Boulder Highway. Son, Cliff, now spearheads new and used automobile operations in Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Idaho.
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