Apr. 9—Customers at Rogers Subaru in Lewiston drive from as far away as Grangeville and Kamiah to purchase and maintain their vehicles.

The recently finished building for the dealership at 1720 21st St. was constructed to create a pleasant experience for those clients and ones who live closer, said Ryan Rogers, the owner of Rogers Subaru.

The dealership is still in the same location as it was before the project. But the size of the parking lot and the building have more than doubled, greatly expanding the inventory of vehicles and creating efficiencies for customers and the dealership's staff of more than 40 people, he said.

"It's new from the ground up," Rogers said. "There wasn't a wall that wasn't touched."

The Lewiston dealership reflects the important role it plays in the Subaru company, Rogers said. Nowhere are Subarus more popular in the United States than in the Inland Northwest, where Subaru is the fastest-growing brand, he said.

Its four-wheel drive models with high clearances appeal to people who want an affordable vehicle to drive to work, a concert, or to the middle of nowhere in any kind of weather to hunt, fish, ski, hike, camp or boat, Rogers said.

At the heart of the revamped dealership is an indoor waiting area with several seating options. A large cluster of easy chairs surround a fireplace and big-screen television.

High tables and chairs with charging stations for cellphones and laptop computers stand behind them so customers can work or do school assignments while they wait.

Another row of upholstered chairs, which eventually will have pullout tables, also with charging stations for cellphones and laptops, is near a children's area that has a glass wall and a door. The arrangement of the furniture makes it possible for parents to watch their children and work while they wait, without the noise of children playing disrupting other activities at the dealership.

Outside, the dealership has two more spots with customer seating. One is an outdoor patio with a view of the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley and a second is a dog park that will have artificial turf made from recycled materials that will be cleaned at least once a day.

The same kind of thought that went into the waiting areas extends throughout the dealership, Rogers said.

State-of-the-art features were added in every department, he said.

The time it takes staff to do oil changes has dropped 75% partly because the lubricants are delivered through a system of pipes and hoses in an express-lube service bay.

Previously, technicians would walk to an area where oil was stored in large vats, draw it into smaller containers that looked a little like pitchers and then pour it into cars.

Equipment was added in the Quick-Lube service bay that evaluates the alignment and treads of tires at no extra charge when customers are having maintenance completed.

The findings, with graphics of the tires, are displayed on screens behind the counter of service advisers, providing customers information about how safe their tires are, Rogers said.

The number of service bays for repairs and maintenance other than oil changes was increased from 10 to 16 to make it faster for customers to get their vehicles fixed.

Air conditioning and heating was installed to make the area more comfortable for mechanics and technicians completing the work.

In the showroom, a climate-controlled delivery area was constructed so customers can learn about the technology in their new vehicles from sales representatives without getting too hot or cold.

Getting everything accomplished took more than a year, starting in late 2021, and a few details will be completed in upcoming weeks.

All parts of the dealership remained open, with many employees working from three trailers set up on site.

Rogers credits the staff, the general contractor, Kenaston Corp., and a group of almost entirely local subcontractors for the quality of the upgrade and making everything go smoothly during construction.

"I was really happy with their focus and commitment to our project," Rogers said. "It wasn't an easy feat to be able to take an old building and accomplish what we wanted to accomplish for our customers."

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.