Chris Collins and Rob McGee, who left Crevier BMW in Santa Ana last year to go out on their own, recently bought their first dealership.
The duo’s Urban Automotive Group acquired Foothill Ranch Chrysler Jeep Dodge for an undisclosed price. Urban Automotive bought 9 acres and plans to build a car wash, waiting room and body shop on 3 undeveloped acres.
The dealership, now called Urban Dodge Chrysler Jeep, is being billed as the “anti-auto dealer” for its no-pressure sales and plans for luxury perks such as free washes, a cafe and shuttles to the airport.
Those offerings are common at luxury dealers, but not necessarily at Dodge and other everyday dealerships.
“We wanted to create a W hotel feel for the automotive industry,” McGee said.
The dealership plans to stress customer service and be a “cool place to hang out,” he said.
McGee’s own iPod, with The Killers and Massive Attack, provides background music at the dealership.
The new owners say there is a lot of work yet to be done, which includes a remodel next year.
The Web site, www.urbancjd.com, shows the kind of look they want to bring.
Getting the business up and running has been harder than they expected.
“More sleepless nights,” Collins said.
Auto Sales
Land Rover and Hummer sales were up in 2006, according to the recent Orange County Auto Outlook report published by the Orange County Auto Dealers Association in Costa Mesa.
New registrations,a barometer of sales,for Land Rover were up 24.5% for the year through October versus the same period a year earlier. Hummer was up 15%.
But in October (the most recent report), Land Rover sales slipped 19.1% from a year earlier. Hummer was still up, this time by 13.7%.
The actual number of autos sold was small. Land Rover had 114 registrations; Hummer, 83.
Only 10 brands saw increases through October, including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Hyundai and Mazda. The other 27 brands all were down.
In the luxury category, BMW sales continue to slide.
BMW sales were off 2% through October. Mercedes was up 4.7%, and Lexus was up 12.7%.
In numbers of autos registered through October, Mercedes-Benz had the most, 9,077. Lexus had 8,313 and BMW, 7,025.
Looking at the bottom of the pack, Kia’s sales plummeted nearly 40% through October. Buick, GMC, Jaguar and Chrysler were all off more than 27%.
All registrations were down 6.4% through October. Declines in sales of trucks and domestic cars were to blame.
Mall Openings
Fashion Island saw nine exclusive boutiques open in 2006: Kate Spade, G-Star, Original Penguin, Ligne Roset, Charriol, Juicy Couture, American Rag Cie, Martin + Osa and Sigrid Olsen.
Sigrid Olsen has opened next to Z Gallerie. The women’s clothing store, founded by Olsen in 1984, now is part of Liz Claiborne Inc. Olsen sold the company in 1999.
The store is designed like Olsen’s seaside Massachusetts home.
It includes a “lounge area” decorated with Olsen’s artwork and framed vacation photos, and a “kitchen” with handmade tiles, stenciled wood armoires and a refrigerator under the counter to store bottled water for customers.
The kitchen also is where customers pay for their clothes.
At-Ease, a men’s sportswear store, recently opened at Crystal Cove Promenade. The first At-Ease has been open at Fashion Island since 1969.
Recent openings for Simon Property Group Inc., which owns Brea Mall, The Shops at Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills Mall and Westminster Mall:
n Brea Mall: Select Comfort, Bocage jewelry, Hand & Mind.
n The Shops: Angl, contemporary clothing and accessories for women and juniors.
n Laguna Hills Mall: Urban Park Leather luggage, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
n Westminster Mall: Clue women’s clothing, Bou-G women’s clothing, Dona Michi Leather, Select Comfort and Hollister.
South Coast Skater
Even skateboarders shop at South Coast Plaza.
MTV’s working on a pilot featuring 16-year old skateboarder Ryan Scheckler of San Clemente. MTV filmed Scheckler around the holidays at the center doing his Christmas shopping. Cameras have been following the skateboarder in his daily life, filming him at contests, meetings, school and with his friends and family.
Tommy Lee also visited South Coast Plaza last month. Lee was at Nordstrom in the Savvy department, promoting his “tattoo inspired” fashion line called “People’s Liberation for Tommy Lee” or PL for TL.
