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Contact: Lisa Cook
Smashing Realities, LLC
Phone 615-771-7775
Fax 615-250-7941 1616 Harley-Davidson Blvd
Columbia, TN 38401
Phone 931-540-0099
Fax 931-540-0074 H-D of Columbia Superstore
Press Release
The New Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore : The 1st truly NEW H-D dealership in the last 25-50 years of Harley-Davidson.
Harley-Davidson Customers nationwide will recognize this new Harley-Davidson Superstore with a Seal of Approval Award.
Columbia, Tennessee October 25, 2008
The New Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore.
Harley-Davidson Dealers, as you know them, will never be the same. Conceived over the course of the last 10 years and designed by one of the premier retail space designers in America today, the World-Renowned Pompeii AD from New York City, this is the first truly unique Harley-Davidson dealership designed and built in the last 20-50 years of Harley-Davidson. Located at Exit 46 on I-65 in Columbia, Tennessee, this is the ultimate Harley-Davidson destination in America.
Not built as a catchy or themed Disney-esque sort of project, this store is a true Harley-Davidson location built for the true Harley- Davidson rider, intender and enthusiast. “What we have done” says Ricky Kelley, the owner and developer of Harley-Davidson of Columbia, “is to turn the building upside down and inside out. This building is designed to be all about the motorcycles and the people who ride them. We didn’t design or build some architectural museum piece. What we built was a space that happens to have a Harley-Davidson dealership on it…and what I believe you will find to be the coolest Harley-Davidson dealership in the country.”
*Think green. An environmentally green building development is a part of what we are all looking for in order to maintain a sustainable world environment for the future. What we have done for the Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore is take this space and balanced the site, so all of the dirt, stone building product, etc. came from within this site. All of the 15,000 + loads of dirt involved in the excavation of this site were redistributed and used throughout the balance of our 25 acre site. No trucking dirt 25 – 50 miles to a remote location to make this building happen. It is self-contained.
During the excavation for this site, the dirt work, digging and blasting resulted in the “creation” of many tons of gravel. These tons of good old Tennessee were crushed on site. Then that gravel from the crushed rock from the excavation site was used for the building pad, parking, driveways, etc. There were no transporting hundreds of loads of gravel for hundreds of miles to build this building. Gas is expensive, you know.
All of the slate stone on the building exterior was contained on this site. The slate that you see was hand selected during the excavation process and saved on a palette until building construction began. Then the stone was hand laid by a master stone mason to the building’s exterior. What you see from the building exterior actually came from this site.
Think about paint. How much does a gallon of paint weigh? What is paint made from? Think Petroleum. When you walk through the New Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore, you will see very few painted surfaces. Sure, we had to paint a few office and bathroom walls…but only a few. Our concrete floor is pure natural concrete. Unpainted and unstained. Our structural steel is only primered. No fancy paint, just primer.
Look at the glass, all 6000 square feet of it. This building was designed to bring the outside in, and we feel this glass and skylight utilization really does just that, let’s the outside in. The glass and skylights (huge skylights, by the way) allows for maximum UV protection. This massive windows and skylights allow us to flood the interior with natural light, a true energy saver. At the same time, it provides true color transference so you can see the real color of the clothes and motorcycles.
Speaking of lighting, most parking lots are only lit to a minimum certain safety standard. At the Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore, our parking lot lighting is 8 to 10 times that standard. The interesting thing is we accomplished this lighting standard with 1/3 the usual number of exterior lights, a true energy saver. This place looks like daylight when it is midnight. Remember, we’ve turned this building inside out.
What the New Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore has done is to create a destination environment. “Whether you come inside the store or simply ride to the store and hang out, we hope you will have the same pleasurable experience” says Kelley. In the parking lot at the Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore, you will find music, the same music you will find inside the store (but inside the building we also have TV and video). You will find dedicated bike parking. You will find nighttime lighting that makes it look like daytime. You will find grass, shade trees, outdoor picnic and relaxation areas, and places to just sit around and talk to your friends.
Speaking about the outside of the building, what about the Outdoor Music Event Center (the Venue has not officially been named yet) that joins the Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore site? This OMEC features a major concert size stage and unbelievable sound system that is designed by Clair Brothers/Showco, the same company that does the sound for The Rolling Stones, Tim McGraw and U2. We are more than able to rock the 2500 people accommodated in a beautiful grassy, festival style seated arena. Adjacent to the OMEC, you will find restrooms, artist dressing rooms, and the most unbelievably great concession stand you have ever been to.
Our OMEC contains a concession stand, known as “Sweet Vicki’s Rock and Roll Eatery”. However, not just any concessions stand. This full service gourmet food stop sells the best breakfast, lunch and dinner you have ever eaten in a parking lot! Think Country Ham Omelet wraps with Cheese Grits, Fried Hot Dogs Wrapped in Bacon, Half Pound Cheeseburger stuffed with Seven Cheeses, and Banana Splits. Wash it all down with a cold beverage while you listen to Toby / Tim / Kenny / Keith/Skynyrd over our parking lot audio system and you will truly know what the Harley-Davidson experience is all about.
If you DO decide to come into the store, you will not be disappointed, but what will you notice first? Will it be our Gigantic 70 Foot Ramp with the parked bikes soaring 20 feet into the air? Will it be our Hi-Def Home Theatre Room that other at other dealerships is simply a customer lounge? Will it be the Huge, 6000 square foot Glass Wall overlooking the outdoor spaces and OMEC? Will it be our open-air entrance with Huge “Always Open” Garage Doors that allow easy access to the bikers (and intenders) from the parking / park area? Will it be that you notice our Huge Skylights, each the size of a swimming pool that allow the sunlight to come in so that even when you are inside you may think you are outside?
When you are inside the building, check out the bikes and the merchandise. Many of our fixtures are made from reclaimed wood and bamboo. Very green, very environmentally friendly and very common sense. This is a very environmentally sound building interior. Not a bunch of merchandising B.S.
And what about those environmentally friendly interior spaces? Remember, the Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore is all about the people and the bikes so we have changed it all up from every other Harley-Davidson dealership you have ever been in. The products are merchandised with the customer in mind. Here’s the deal. We have put the products together…where they belong. No men’s department, no women’s department, no used bikes department, no parts department with a bunch of “hidden” parts (yes, you read that right). No kidding. What we have done is taken what the customers have asked us for over the years and given it to them.
You may find a Sportster displayed along with all of the accessories and riding gear a new rider might require. You may find a V-Rod merchandised along with the Full Face System Helmet and more of our Premium Performance rider apparel. Speaking of helmets, wait until you see our “Only One in America” Helmet Display. T-shirts……forgettaboutit! Did we mention the over 300 New and Used Harley-Davidson motorcycles available to sit on, admire or even buy? You are going to love shopping at the Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore.
One location, unlimited Inside/Outside experience. That’s what the Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore is all about. Bikes, Music, Food, Friends, T-shirts, Picnicking, Concerts, the best service department in the USA and the location you want to ride to. The Harley-Davidson of Columbia Superstore.
Oh yeah, be sure and ask Bill about how to get access to our VIP Park, Parking, and Entrance. You won’t believe it. It’s open NOW for your Harley-Davidson dreams and desires.
For more information contact Lisa Cook, Smashing Realities, LLC, 7128 South Springs Dr, Franklin, TN 37067. 615-771-7775.
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