`Stupka opens new car dealership`

By Michael Roknick
Herald Business Editor

The year 2000 has arrived at Stupka Motor Inc.’s new dealership.

Stupka Buick, Pontiac, GMC opened today on North Hermitage Road and is part of General Motors Corp.’s Project 2000. GM has set the goal of having all three auto lines under the same roof at its dealerships.

Last month Stupka’s opened Stupka Oldsmobile, Cadillac immediately next door in Hermitage. In all the project cost $3 million.

“Both of these buildings are very customer oriented,’’ said Milan Stupka, dealership president. “One of the concepts is to keep the mechanical work out of the customer’s sight.’’

One feature of the new 27,000 square-foot dealership is a large indoor drive-through where customers can drop off their cars for mechanical work. After the job is completed the customer picks up the car at the same drive-through.

Also, the new building has an automatic car wash where cars will be cleaned for free each time they’re serviced, Stupka said.

The first thing customers will notice about the dealership is a large display area for cars and trucks. Stupka figures he can fit up to a dozen cars in the area so customers can check them out inside.

In the service department, 22 newly designed car lifts were installed. The lifts are more reliable and use far less oil than the older versions.

“On those real old ones you had to dig up the area around the lift to fix an oil leak,’’ Stupka said. “It could cost up to $8,000 to fix one of those lifts.

In all, Stupka employs 45 at his two dealerships.

Stupka bought the Baglier, Buick, Cadillac, GMC auto line on East State Street in Sharon. At the time, Stupka also owned Stupka Pontiac, Oldsmobile across the street.

Preston Ford is moving part of its operation into the former Baglier building which it bought. Stupka will continue to operate a body shop and Stupka Outlet, a used car dealership, at its original Sharon location.

Owned and operated by the Stupka family, the company is headed by Milan Stupka, his wife, Frances, who serves as vice president, and their two daughters, Carole Stupka and Paula Santucci, who serve as treasurer and secretary, respectively.

Stupka’s is leasing the new buildings from VVSS, a partnership between the Veon and Stupka families. Veon Construction of Shenango Township built the new dealership and renovated a building which houses Stupka Oldsmobile, Cadillac.

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Updated August 17, 1998
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