BMWs, Mercedes, Infinities, or Lexus. European compa- nies started delivering value like never before in the late ‘90s and on – it was a market shift and I knew it could be a big shift for us, too.” In its first year as a multi-line dealer, Atlantic Motoplex sold eight bikes with a European badge. Now, after ten years of representing Germany, Italy, and England respec- tively and concurrently, LeBlanc’s sales team are now well above the 60 mark annually. Suzuki, Kawasaki, Honda, and Victory Motorcycles – as well as a selection of preowned Harley Davidsons – significantly inflate sales and have earned Atlantic Motoplex a reputation as a one-stop shop for international motorcycle enthusiasts throughout Atlantic Canada and beyond. “At any given moment,” LeBlanc explains, “we have 200 bikes in-store, on the floor, and ready to roll. We have between 200 and 300 in our warehouse and compound facility around the dealer- ship. The selection is truly enormous.” These sales and coinciding show and storage needs are ultimately behind Atlantic Motoplex’s on-going 8,000 square feet facelift. “In a lot of ways, we hate to break-up our showroom, but these brands deserve their own spot.
by BMW. It was in the early 2000s and a BMW representa- tive called us out of the blue. He invited me to a dealer conference in South Africa where they were launching a brand new bike in the GS series – which is still the number one selling BMWmotorcycle in the world – and once I saw the change in direction from BMW Motorrad, I wanted to be a BMW dealer,” he explains. “I like motorcycles and motorsports, but for me the greatest exhilaration has been building up speed to grow this dealership as big as possible.” “After the South Africa conference we were all of a sudden part of a network of dealerships. I really saw the European side of things through BMW Motorrad. The demand for European motorcycles would grow steadily over years, for a decade or more. Back in the ‘80s, I remember my parents and my friend’s parents buying up Cadillacs and Buicks if they were in the market for a sophisticated and luxurious automobile; today those same people go for
42
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS • DECEMBER 2016
Made with FlippingBook HTML5