Stubbs SouthWest & Richmond Suzuki

Just for y'all information.

Dropped off the Strom today at Stubbs SouthWest and was speaking to the NEW service manageress.

Seamingly Stubbs and Richmond Suzuki have been bought and are merging. The Stubbs location on 59 will be closing the end of March and a new facility just off Beltway8 will be opened in early April. There will seamingly be 8 lifts in the new facility rather than the 2 presently at the Stubbs location

Now for the scary part, according the the new manageress nearly everybody in the service department including the previous Stubbs Service manager have been let go. While I was in the service here, she took a call where obviously the caller was asking to speak to people (s)he knew. The service manageress said on 3 occasions, "No he does not work every any longer also"

I have never had a problem with Stubbs SoutWest, I have always been able to get my bike in when needed and work has always been completed on time and on budget. Just wondering what like this new crew will do.

Also, if you have a ATV they are running 2-3 weeks behind.

A couple of connecting threads; http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24185

Wonder if they might take the space that BMW Southwest just pulled out of - all set up and ready to go.

Intersting times in the dealership business - is everyone hunkering down for the long haul or gearing up at the wrong time? Time will tell.

Dave.

Calgary-Yogi said:

"No he does not work every any longer also"

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Graeme, sounds like a certain HD dealer in Stafford too, I think they change out the whole crew with each new model year.
( hows the shin?)
bob

mlinkibikr said:

Wonder if they might take the space that BMW Southwest just pulled out of - all set up and ready to go.

Click to expand...

I heard it'll be on the 59 feeder, not the Beltway feeder. The BMW location wasn't a very good one IMHO - too far out of the way, too close to a busy flyover interchange for folks to get off the freeway in time, etc. Just wasn't very visible and nobody would "expect" a bike shop to be over there.

The section of 59 that I heard it will be on has lots of auto dealers, a Cycle Gear, and at least two or three other bike shops (one Yamaha, one cruiser/customs, and the other ExImport with Duc, Aprillia, etc.) - so it's more in line with bike shoppers that want to go out looking for a day.

Tony said they are picking up the Honda line too.

Here's an update above and beyond what has already been posted.

I spent about 15 or 20 minutes on the phone with Tony this morning. I sent him a note last night because I need to take my V-Strom in to have the TSB done plus the accident repairs done. I wanted to know the current situation about Richmond and Stubbs. I wanted to make sure my bike didn't get stuck in some black hole and the repairs were made correctly and that the insurance company paid them for everything that needed to be done.

I don't think he would mind me sharing the conversation with the group. Here's what he told me.

1. They will be moving in 45 or so days down 59 to the old Conn's location on the west side of 59 near the Lexus and BMW dealers (between Bisonnet and Bltway 8). They bought the building and land so they can make it into their dealership. It is a nice location and a good size building.
2. He is in the process of getting the right mix of folks into the dealership so he can continue to service the customers the way he wants and expects them to be taken care of. I was shocked when he told me some stories about the way Stubb's had treated folks.
3. There is a new service manager coming in plus several new technicians. He didn't tell me timing and I didn't pursue it.
4. One of the main reasons he moved from 359 is because there is about to be a major rebuild done to the road so traffic is going to be majorly impacted because it will become a 4 lane highway. Plus he didn't own the building out there, he was leasing. He has also retained the franchise rights to Ft. Bend County so he may eventually open a second location out that way.
5. The move will result in a new name for the dealership. They will retain the Honda, SeaDoo, Polaris franchises as well.
6. Richmond Suzuki is going to be awarded a Customer Service award by Suzuki. If I recall he said this would be the 4th or 5th year in a row. And that they are the only dealership in Texas to have won it that many times in a row. That is excellent.

On a personal note I was quite impressed that the owner would call me to explain all of this to me. Plus tell me he would personally see that my bike is taken care of. I was also impressed that he apologized for the mess the Richmond location was in when I went in in mid-December to buy an extra key and owners manual. He sounded a bit embarassed that it was in transition. I told him I didn't even notice.

So as soon as the insurance folks get their act together about my bike I can take it in and get it fixed. The good news is that they are accepting 100% liability for their policy holders stupidity and bad driving.

Tony's got my vote of confidence. When I need dealer related work done I will definitely be looking their way. He reminds me of the folks who used to own/work at Jack Roach Ford (RIP good car dealerships) back in the old days....customers actually meant something and the extra mile was not really something special....it was the normal practice.

Darrell

drfood said:

Here's an update above and beyond what has already been posted.

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Anybody know anything new about the new dealership?

Also, It looks like the Kawasaki dealer on 59 and Chimney Rock is closed. Did that just happen or have I just missed it? I can't imagine them being closed on a Saturday!

Lee

Yesterday they said if all goes well they will be at new location April 1, 2008.

The Kawasaki dealer is now Mancuso on 59 between Fondren and Beechnut (HBU sid of freeway). The old Circuit City location. Take 59 to Beechnut exit (coming or going) and run the north bound feeder to just past the Memorial Herman medical center. Can't miss their big sign. They haven't done much to the place except exterior. Entrance and exit from parking lot can be problematic due to feeder traffic. If you go cut through parking lot and exit on Fondren, its a lot safer and quicker.

Yep, Tony told me they've had some challenges....someone stole all of the power lines from the pole to the store about 3 weeks ago. Plus they cut all the copper out of the a/c units. Crackheads do crazy s**t for a few dollars.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new place, hopefully the parking will be a lot better than the current location.

Calgary-Yogi said:

Just for y'all information.

Dropped off the Strom today at Stubbs SouthWest and was speaking to the NEW service manageress.

Seamingly Stubbs and Richmond Suzuki have been bought and are merging. The Stubbs location on 59 will be closing the end of March and a new facility just off Beltway8 will be opened in early April. There will seamingly be 8 lifts in the new facility rather than the 2 presently at the Stubbs location

Click to expand...

I stopped by on Saturday to look at bikes, and they are not sure when the move will occur, but are all looking forward to it. The people there all seemed knowledgable and they gave me the right amount of attention (not too much, but there if I had a question).

Should be cool when they open the new store.


Lee

Richmond Suzuki is a great place to do business. Their new location should be good. Car dealers and gas stations congregate because people comparison shop. Bike dealers along 59 have the right idea. In a few weeks, you'll be able to hit Houston Motorsports, Mancuso Kaw/Big Dog (a neat place too), ExImports, and now Stubbs/Richmond, think over the purchase at James Coney Island (or where ever), and ride home with a new bike by 2pm.

Quick update on the merger of Richmond and Stubbs. I was there on Saturday the 5th to pick up my bike. Spent about 20 minutes talking to Tony about the situation. Learned some interesting things.

1. The new date to move in to the old Conn's location near Beltway 8 is now June 1. Seems that the stripping of all of the copper by thieves delayed them a bit. Now they are building out the interior.
2. The new name is going to be Stubbs 59 Powersport. Originally the plan was to abandon the Stubbs name and rename as Bayou City Cycles (or Motorcycles). The logic that Tony was using was very good IMHO....Stubbs Southwest had an extremely crappy reputation for extremely poor customer service....a new name and location and owners and people would result in bringing in new customers and bring back old ones. Unfortunately they asked a marketing consulting company (I say unfortunately because I work with marketing people and they know everything about nothing and usually make the wrong recommendation based on flawed or skewed logic). The marketing company told them that the best way to repair the perceptions of the old dealership is not to change names, but to improve the current name and make it sexier. We shall see.

Tony and his group have done an amazing job with the pigs ear that was/is the current Stubbs dealership....I know he has my business exclusively on work that I can't do myself. I wish them luck on the changes and the move.