After six years of selling automobiles in the United States, the Korean luxury brand Genesis has launched its first independent retail location in the United States.
The new shop in Lafayette, Louisiana, symbolises the next step for Genesis as it continues to expand its footprint in the United States and distances itself from its launch brand, Hyundai.
“By establishing a venue to display the Genesis collection, we will be able to elevate the brand not just in our surrounding neighbourhood, but also across the region,” stated Arthur LeBlanc Jr., dealer principal of the new Genesis of Lafayette location.
LeBlanc, like his other Genesis sellers, has taken his time in establishing a dedicated location. LeBlanc was given a Genesis franchise in January 2018 but has yet to begin basic planning.
He said that he will begin construction in March 2021.
“Genesis has established itself as a distinct brand,” he said. “As a producer of premium automobiles, a stand-alone factory is not only necessary but also required by our customers.”
Five other freestanding Genesis shops are now under development around the nation. They include one in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, which is owned by Peter Lanzavecchia, the president of Genesis’ retail advisory board, and another in Greer, South Carolina, which is located near BMW’s massive US manufacturing complex.
The remaining three are located in the greater Los Angeles region, in the marketplaces of Cerritos, Corona, and Santa Monica.
Mike Sullivan, who runs the LA Car Guy dealership group, is already selling Genesis automobiles in Santa Monica, albeit in an interim site until his permanent building is being completed. Sullivan is presently the only non-Hyundai dealer in the process of becoming a stand-alone Genesis dealership.