- Genesis opened its first independent dealership and it’s in Lafayette, Louisiana.
- Up to five other works will be completed this year, with the ultimate goal of just over 100 companies nationwide.
- Genesis will announce two more electric vehicles later this year, joining the list of six that are on sale right now.
The next phase of Genesis’ future begins at 6600 Johnston Street in Lafayette, Louisiana. That’s where the luxury automaker known for surpassing expectations defied them, opening its first independent dealership in the heart of French Louisiana. In Lafayette’s CreationKorean principles and luxuries meet Cajun, zydeco, and Stir-fried pork skin with pickles.
Ted Mengiste, chief operating officer of business operations for Genesis Motor America, calls the $3.6 million, 12,000-square-foot dealership “a physical representation of the brand.” The architectural style has no name but embodies two principles: “the elegance of white space” and The principle of son-nim of Koreanstranslated to us as “invited guest.”
The white space speaks of elegance that minimizes distractions throughout. The exterior glass walls showcase just three cars in the lobby out of two design elements that signify the Genesis stores. The “brand cube” hangs inside the entryway, with four suspended perforated panels forming the seating area. Above the cube’s space, a panel of light switches through different muted colors. A projector outside the cube projects video onto the outside of the pleated sheet.
Opposite the branding cube, the “brand wall” forms a bronze backdrop for a hero car placed near the front door. From the outside, the inside looks like an art installation.
A short row of open offices separates the foyer from the atrium and the lounge at the rear. The Genesis Experience Room is located to the right of the offices, a remodeled room where some buyers will collect their cars with a theater on one side.
The service area, located to the left of a row of offices separating the lobby from the service lounge, is perhaps the best example of an “invited guest”. The service manager’s desk was five steps from the doorway, behind no walls, no doors, no barriers for customers who needed assistance.
Jay Faugot / Genesis
The lounge, decorated like the residence of the most elegant person you will ever know, overlooks the store’s three service bays. Tiled in bright colors like cleanrooms for much more expensive machinery, technicians — like managers — won’t be able to hide, nor will they be allowed to make a mess.
Jay FaugotVehicle and Driver
Those are the stats, but the question remains: why Lafayette? The store is part of Sterling Auto Gray, which has 12 brands in the barn and is owned by Art LeBlanc Jr. He has been a Hyundai dealer since 2007 and started asking Genesis to open an independent store long before the brand was ready to agree. When it came time to choose a location, Mengiste told us, “Art embodies the Genesis dealership that we want to replicate nationally. He believes in Genesis’ vision, he believes in the brand promise, and he’s committed to delivering, not just from a facility standpoint, but also in the experiences we want our customers to have. be when they come to our brand. “
When we spoke to LeBlanc, we found him to be a good representation, as sharp, kind and charming as he was impeccably dressed. The Hyundai brand has been tackling customer satisfaction challenges in its nationwide dealer network for some time, but LeBlanc’s Sterling Hyundai is rated 4.5 stars on Facebook and 4.7 on Google. He wasn’t just acting for us.
Mengiste said another four or five storefronts will be completed this year, with the final number coming to “about 100 or north of 100 dealerships nationwide.”
Jay Faugot / Genesis
At the same time, Genesis is also reducing the number of Hyundai dealers that still sell Genesis. From the highest of 325 Hyundai stores, there are currently just under 300 people doing so. The practice won’t stop completely, but Genesis’ intentions are “primarily independent.”
The automaker’s lineup currently includes six models, with Mengiste warning us “there are two more products that we’ll be announcing this year from an EV standpoint” as the brand shifts to EV-only launching in 2025 and become an EV-only brand by 2030.
The additional community exposure and branding these resellers provide solves perhaps the biggest challenge for Genesis, less than ideal public perception. “Genesis remains one of the best kept secrets,” says Mengiste.
Expect to see Genesis throw a lot of money at this problem, like its independent dealers. “We [need] a lot of marketing to get the awareness and visibility we want, so that people will come and investigate the brand. “
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information at their website.
This content is created and maintained by third parties and is imported into this site to help users provide their email addresses. You can find more information on this and the like at piano.io
