Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 26, 1995 TAG: 9510260031
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Make no mistake, the new Roanoke Valley Harley-Davidson Ltd. dealership, with its high ceilings and designer look, is pretty striking on its own.
"It's incredible," agreed Michael McCulley, president of the Roanoke Valley H.O.G.S. - Harley Owners Group - chapter and a frequent visitor to the store. "It's impressive compared to a lot of Harley dealerships throughout the country."
But to really appreciate the new building on Peters Creek Road, it has to be compared to the dealer's old quarters, on Centre Avenue. That 8,000-square-foot store, which had housed the valley's Harley dealership for decades, was dark and crowded - "kind of like shopping in a basement," McCulley said. And customers - especially women - tended to shy away from the neighborhood, which often was littered with broken glass and wasn't considered safe after dark.
The new 11,550-square-foot operation is on a hill almost out of sight of motorists driving by, unless you know just where to look. The showroom, which was designed by a California company as part of Harley-Davidson's attempt to create a new, uniform image, seems almost like an upscale garage, with chain-link fences dividing off the bike display area and exposed heating ducts along the ceiling. The shop also has six service bays in the back.
"Our customers are real pleased," said Kathy Shiffer, who with her husband, Loyd, owns the dealership.
The Shiffers moved to Roanoke from Wisconsin in 1982 and took over the Harley dealership in 1983. Since then, they've built up a loyal bunch of customers, who tend to think of the dealership as their own, she said.
These bikes aren't cheap. They range from about $5,000 to almost $16,000. And that's before adding in the cost of any custom painting and accessories, which, as Shiffer said, is the biggest draw for many Harley owners.
And even would-be Harley riders who might have that kind of cash lying around can't walk into the dealership and ride off an hour later on a bike. The only Harleys that the Shiffers have in the showroom right now are already sold, and there's a waiting list of two to five years for a new bike.
The showroom does have plenty of accessories, though, and there are no waiting lists for the Harley T-shirts, boxer shorts, leather jackets or sweaters. And the new location likely will draw customers who don't have bikes but still like to wear Harley gear, McCulley said.
"You can't go into hardly any store and find a better setup for that type of shopping," he said.
The dealership also offers a line of women's clothing as part of the company's attempt to break out of the males-only image long associated with motorcycles. Harley also has been developing a smaller, entry-level bike that will be more manageable for women, Shiffer said.
And Shiffer? Is she one of those women? Nope. She took a motorcycle safety class at Virginia Western Community College, she said, but now she prefers to ride on the back of her husband's bike.
"Roanoke was not safe with me on a motorcycle," she said with a laugh.
by CNB