REVVED UP AGAIN
Rensselaer Honda reopens with new showroom
BRUNSWICK, N.Y.>> Rensselaer Honda, a longtime local family business, has been revamped and reopened on Route 7.
Located at 770 Hoosick Rd. in Brunswick, Rensselaer Honda reopened its doors earlier this year after a major two-year reconstruction and expansion project.
The former Rensselaer Honda building was demolished in November of 2015, and the site was expanded to now house an approximately 30,000- square- foot location with a new showroom, offices and service center.
In the meantime, Rensselaer Honda operated out of Simply Better Auto Center, a nearby business day’s Rensselaer Honda under the same ownersite, on the other side of ship. the road.
Rensselaer Honda is At the time, the land owned and operated by was part of a farm, and Andy James and his fathe area surrounding it ther David James, who wasn’t nearly as develstarted the business in oped as it is today. the 1970s. A few years later in
In his first entrepre1988, Andy joined in the neurial endeavor, the family business, leaving Queens native opened behind a career in the Rensselaer Chrysler restaurant industry. He Plymouth Honda in 1977 worked his way through at a site across the street different positions in from the current location, the parts, sales and serin the former Hickey Ford vices departments, evenstore. tually earning his spot in
In the early 1980s, he management and as a cochanged the business to owner with his dad. solely offer Honda prodAbout six years ago, ucts, a decision his son Andy started his own said was a risk at the time. business on Hoosick Road
Nevertheless the busicalled Simply Better Auto ness succeeded and in Center as a way to further 1985 David was able to get into the used car marmove out of the rentedket. space into his own newly Rensselaer Honda has purchased property, to- now been around for more than 30 years as a family owned and operated business. It has 65 employees, more space than ever and is still continuing to grow.
On why he decided to do the recent expansion, Andy said it was due.
“It was time for us to do it,” he said. “We needed the room.”
With the recent expansion, Rensselaer Honda gained a brand new showroom and information center, business center, customer waiting areas and eight new bays in the service shop.
Along with the expanded space, Rensselaer Honda is also in the process of increasing its staff.
To celebrate the new expansion, Rensselaer Honda plans to hold a grand reopening event in May.
Looking ahead, Rensselaer Honda is focused on going above and beyond for its customers. Coming soon, the dealership will offer customers free oil changes for life. The business also offers customers pick-up and delivery of their car for it to be serviced. Another perk offered is tire storage for those who switch to snow tires in the winter.
Andy’s goal for the future of Rensselaer Honda is to expand further and continue to operate as a family- owned business. This year, he hopes to sell 2,000 new and used cars, then increase business by 10 to 15 percent each year for the next few years.
For more information and updates visit www. rensselaerhonda.com or www.facebook.com/RensselaerHonda.