WEDNESDAY June 27, 2018
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AUTO SALES
THE MATHIS REPORT
‘A good Daily Record market Cra-Z-Art forDaily us’ Record looks like JACKSONVILLE
JACKSONVILLE
Hanania Automotive Group preparing to open new Audi dealership along Atlantic Boulevard in East Arlington.
Buckeye
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Audi Jacksonville is preparing to open a $15 million dealership Monday in East Arlington at 11401 Atlantic Blvd. Jack Hanania, CEO and founder of Hanania Automotive Group, says the dealership will employ 50 to 60 people initially and up to 100 eventually. “The brand is a luxury performance brand and we felt like there needed to be representation on Atlantic Boulevard,” Hanania said. “That side of the river is a good market for us and we felt like it would be a good idea” to open there. Audi Jacksonville will be one of at least 20 dealerships operating, planned or under development along the stretch of Atlantic Boulevard from Regency Square Mall to Kernan Boulevard. Hanania said the Audi lineup will continue to expand and needed to be on both sides of town – the Atlantic dealership on the east and Blanding Boulevard on the west. At the entrance is the 10-car showroom. The open floor plan features an Audi racetrack framing the second story, where a customer lounge offers amenities, technology and privacy. Technology throughout the dealership includes large screens in front of couches, which are consultation areas where customers can meet with sales staff. Dealership associates will work from iPads. The service area, brightly lit above and with white epoxy-coated floors below, can accommodate 20 vehicles.
Photos by Karen Brune Mathis
Jack Hanania, CEO and founder of Hanania Automotive Group, shows off the wall-length display of the Jacksonville skyline inside the new Audi dealership. Audi authorizes the dealership graphics and kept the skyline generic regarding names.
The $15 million Audi dealership at 11401 Atlantic. Blvd. is scheduled to open Monday. It features a 10-car showroom and an open floor plan. See more photos of the dealership in the galleries area of JaxDailyRecord.com
An Audi architectural group representing the German automaker approves the dealership details, including graphics that decorate the walls. A wall-length display of the Jacksonville skyline covers one side of the newdelivery area. Service hours will be 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Sales hours will be 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Stephan Gronberg will oversee the new dealership as well as assist with operations at the Orange Park-area Audi Jacksonville at 7230 Blanding Blvd. Shemron Tomer will oversee the
Orange Park dealership and report to Gronberg. Hanania started Hanania Automotive Group in 1998 when he bought Acura of Orange Park. The group now comprises 18 brand franchises and a collision center in four states. “The Jacksonville market has grown and it will continue to grow,” Hanania said. “We see an uptick in our luxury brand and Jacksonville’s future looks brighter than ever.” KMATHIS@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MATHISKB (904) 356-2466
New Jersey-based company could be drawn to Jacksonville by city incentives. Project Buckeye, which seeks incentives to consolidate manufacturing, warehouse and distribution functions in Jacksonville, matches the description of CraZ-Art, a New Jersey-based toy and art products company. Take a look: The city describes Project Buckeye as “a manufacturer and distributor of children’s toys, art and stationary products.” (That should be stationery.) The city’s project summary says Buckeye is based in New Jersey where it operates warehouse and distribution facilities and its manufacturing is in the Midwest. It says if Buckeye chooses Jacksonville, it would create at least 21 full-time jobs within the first three years. Now look at Cra-Z-Art. Cra-Z-Art’s website says its offers “original, creative, exciting and trendy activity, toy, art and stationery products.” It is based in Randolph, New Jersey. Buzzfile reports that LaRose Industries LLC, which operates as Cra-Z-Art, has a manSEE MATHIS, PAGE 2
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