Colorado Springs dealership getting new dog park, EV charging stations, more service bays as part of major renovation

Jessica Van Dyne, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 14—Dog parks might not be the norm at most car dealerships, but that's one of the many additions and changes coming at Phil Long Hyundai of Chapel Hills.

The dealership, at 1540 Auto Mall Loop on Colorado Springs' north side and part of the Phil Long family of auto showrooms and service facilities, is being remodeled and expanded to provide more space and speedier service to accommodate customer demand at what a Phil Long news release described as the fastest-growing Hyundai dealership in southern Colorado.

The $4.8 million, three-phase renovation began in early 2022 and is expected to be finished by January, the release said.

"The inside of the whole store changed dramatically," said Jeff Mattingley, the dealership's general manager. "It's designed to make it a lot more user-friendly experience."

With an additional 6,500 square feet, the dealership will have a larger showroom, a gym for workers, 13 new service bays, more parking and two electric vehicle fast charging stations (in addition to the two pre-existing ones).

Plus, the dealership will feature a 1,200-square-foot outdoor dog park equipped with an obstacle course.

"I thought it was just something that would make it a lot easier for puppies, for older dogs if you had to come and spend some time at a dealership," Mattingley said. "...And honestly it's just kind of fun."

The store's new and used vehicle sales doubled from 722 in 2019 to 1,468 in 2022, Gina Sacripanti, Phil Long's spokeswoman wrote in a email to The Gazette.

But as sales grew, so did wait times.

Before the renovation, it could take customers two to three weeks to make an appointment at the dealership's service department. Now, it typically takes no more than 72 hours, Mattingley said.

Mattingley also doubled his sales team to 16 members and added several more staff in the service department.

"Some people are afraid to go buy a car," Mattingley said. "You hear the stories all the time, and that kind of stigma and that's something with this renovation through Hyundai and what we do as a company as far as how we conduct ourselves; I think it's changing the way cars are sold."