Growing an international reputation for sales has reaped many benefits for Gateway Classic Cars. “Our following on the worldwide market means we’re always attracting new sellers as well as new buyers,” Akbani says. “Buyers and sellers know we’re the best. The United States is still the leader even though we’re not producing the most exotic cars. It’s our atmosphere. We’re the heart of the industry and the culture.” Each month Gateway Classic Cars adds 400 – 500 new vehicles and on any given day they can showcase and spotlight over 3500 vehicles that are for sale in their physical and online showrooms, which extends their ability to connect with buyers and sellers far beyond the borders of the United States. In fact, over 11 percent of Gateway Classic Cars’ business is export. “There are cars that bring in the worldwide clientele every time,” Akbani explains. “From time to time, a 1967 Shelby GT500 Eleanor will roll in and people as far away as Japan are buying those from us.” The 1967 Shelby GT500 is an awesome car
connections and small sales circles, and we made it into a worldwide phenomenon. If it wasn’t for the internet, I don’t know that we’d be this successful,” said Akbani. Akbani believes that it is no coincidence that with the “dawn of the internet age came the golden age of the classic car industry,” and one look at their website and you will realize that Akbani and his team have embraced the internet and all the benefits that come with it.
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2020
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