Bozarth raises the bar

With the exception of a few finishing touches, showroom renovations are complete at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet in northwest Las Vegas.

Owners Ed Bozarth, his wife, Paula, son, Kent, and partner Mark Miller, bought the former Vista Chevrolet in a November 2008 bankruptcy auction and have completely transformed the 9.3-acre site into one of Chevrolet's flagship dealerships.

"We had no idea it was going to turn out the way it did," said Bozarth, who foresees doubling last year's sales numbers. "The showroom is friendly, welcoming and comfortable, and there's plenty of room to roam. It's so much more than we expected."

In 15,600 square feet of showroom floor, a sample of every model in Chevrolet's new-car lineup is available for customers to evaluate, admire and touch ... at their leisure. There's no clutter or collateral material drawing attention from the cars. They are the focus.

"We're most proud of the social-ability and use-ability of the showroom," Bozarth said. "We want our guests to come in and not feel they're being hovered over."

Approach one of three newly branded Chevrolet entrances to the showroom and automatic, double sliding entry doors open into a space that is flooded with natural light, thanks to inch-thick, energy-efficient 13-foot-high glass walls that line the space's perimeter. Custom Chevrolet LED lighting, a guest lounge with Internet access, plenty of personal work space, children's play area and high-definition television viewing are all in place to enhance customer contentment.

"That 13-foot-high storefront glass is very unusual," said Tom Elliot, the dealership's project manager. Elliot also noted energy-saving elements incorporated into the heating and air-conditioning systems as well as the use of LED lights throughout the dealership boost the dealership's overall green environment.

Ed Bozarth Chevrolet also built an eight-hookup charging station for new Volt owners. According to Bozarth, on a sunny day, solar panels on top of the charging station generate more than 200 amps of power for the dealership. That, he claims, is roughly equivalent to the power needed to run two houses a day.

This service is available to any Volt owner, free of charge (pardon the pun!) during regular dealership business hours. A full charge takes less than four hours, according to Bozarth.

"Every time I turn a corner I notice something extraordinary, like the 26 individual and private sales offices," said Bozarth, who is extremely proud of the dealership's 93 to 100 percent customer satisfaction statistics.

"In the three years we've been in Las Vegas, we've built a tremendous customer base because of trust and that we do what we say we're going to do," said Bozarth, who added Chevrolet representatives from across the country are anxious to see the upgrades and new standard for the marque's dealerships. "We've now built a building that matches the reputation we've earned in this town."

For the grand opening, which is slated for sometime next month, Chevrolet has stocked the dealership with an impressive inventory of vehicles, according to Miller, who added vehicles also are available from their out-of-state dealerships in Colorado and Kansas. "Our supply is based on future expectations."

Ed Bozarth Chevrolet is at 5501 Drexel Road, exit east on Ann Road off U.S. Highway 95.

For more information, call 967-5555 or visit www.edbozarthlasvegas.com.