Iron Town Harley-Davidson dealership closes suddenly
Facebook post promises new management team
NEW BERLIN - A popular HarleyDavidson dealership has closed, at least temporarily, amid a lawsuit and related allegations that have left it with credit trouble.
Iron Town Harley-Davidson on July 16 posted a sign on its doors, at 1925 S. Moorland Road in New Berlin, and on its Facebook page alluding to the business’ current troubles and the resulting disruption in its daily operations.
“It is with heavy hearts we deliver this message,” the Facebook posting said. “Until further notice, Iron Town Harley-Davidson is closed for day-today operations. Ongoing conversations with Harley-Davidson Motor Company and a new management team are being conducted and we assure you, as soon as any new information is available, it will be passed along to everyone.”
The posting asked customers to keep employees in mind when commenting through Facebook. “This store is like a home to them and they consider you and each other family,” Iron Town said on the Facebook page, which is headlined with a banner that, in large letters, states “We are family.”
By Wednesday morning, the post had generated more than 150 comments, including many of concern about the workers and the future of the store. Store officials assured those with bikes inside the shop for service would be contacted by a service adviser soon.
According to a Fox 6 news report, customers who showed up at the New Berlin dealership on July 16 were surprised to find it had closed. Tuesday night was supposed to be a Bike Night, a social gathering, at the shop. Instead, those who rode there were greeted by the sign explaining that the business was closed.
Company mired in federal lawsuit
The New Berlin location, as well as a similar store in Janesville, are mired in a $6.3 million federal lawsuit for delinquent debts to Harley-Davidson Credit-Corp., a lending agency, under allegations that payments on outstanding debts were never received despite claims to the contrary.
Among other actions, the lawsuit demanded the discontinuation of merchandise sales by the New Berlin and Janesville businesses to limit additional losses to the lending agency. But a judge allowed sales to continue
under certain conditions.
Since April, Wisconsin Harley-Davidson in Oconomowoc has been managing the New Berlin operations on behalf of Iron Town’s owner, Sara Pomeroy, on an interim basis while the dealerships tried to reach a sale agreement. That hasn’t materialized to date, and, according to media reports, the Oconomowoc dealership discontinued running the New Berlin store in June.
Robert Moakley, who operates the Oconomowoc store, did not immediately return a phone call seeking information about what has transpired to date.
In response to a Facebook message, an Iron Town store official told Waukesha County Now that there was no additional information as of Wednesday.
“We are supposed to hear more by end of day Friday,” said that store official, who was not identified.