Denver, CO – CBRE Group, Inc., recently announced it has been appointed by Sonic Automotive, a Fortune 300 company and one of the largest retailers of new and pre-owned vehicles in the United States, to aid in the strategic purchase of multiple properties nationwide under the “EchoPark Automotive” banner. These additional spaces are a result of the successfully launched pilot market in Denver, Colorado. This is the first instance of a global real estate company working with a major auto retailer in securing sites for a completely new concept on a national scale.
The first five dealerships are located throughout Colorado, in Centennial, Littleton, Thornton, Stapleton and Highlands Ranch, and average space of four acres per property. CBRE has already begun searching for additional spaces where EchoPark plans to open throughout select markets in Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina.
“At EchoPark we recognize that people love cars but are not always fond of the car buying process,” said Jeff Dyke, Executive Vice President, Operations, EchoPark. “Taking cues from specialty retail and hospitality sectors, we’ve created a groundbreaking retail environment to accommodate individual shopper needs.”
The EchoPark facility design leverages sustainable building technologies and is oriented to be a part of the streetscape. Each retail space mirrors a welcoming, enjoyable atmosphere with an open concept space and functional zones tailored to specific activities. Interactive research areas, comfortable lounge spaces and personalized vehicle delivery empower guests to shop they way they want and at their desired pace. The full sensory environment ties the brand’s digital and physical assets into a seamless, flexible and compelling shopping experience. Even the internal mechanic shop is fully visible to our guests through a large viewing window located in the lounge, creating an immersive customer opportunity to see how the cars are serviced.
Sonic Automotive was represented by CBRE’s James Mitchell, first vice president of Dealership Capital Services, and Jim Bolt, executive vice president with Industrial & Logistics Services.
Image courtesy of CBRE