InTouch with Southern Kentucky July 2020 | Page 12

IN TOUCH
Business
A new beginning
KIA relocates to new building
BY RAY HUNTER
CJ FEATURE WRITER
The local KIA dealership in
Somerset got a face-lift on Friday, May
15.
The giant building with a wall
of floor-to-ceiling windows and
sprawling parking lot is nestled just
off of Highway 27on the north end of
town.
Part of the Don Franklin family, the
KIA showroom has relocated from 60
Highway 2227 to a brand-new facility
at 138 Turner Street.
Floor Manager, Brandon Wilson,
said that although there were some
initial drawbacks, the KIA team pulled
together, and hit the ground running.
“We sold 28 cars on the first day here
and set a record for the half-month of
May at 218 vehicles sold,” Wilson said.
The massive move took only a few
days, according to Wilson, and an
“army” of KIA employees moved over
300 automobiles, office furniture, and
personal effects in about four hours.
“We simply outgrew the old
facility. We have tripled the
size of the old showroom, and
now we have a much more
robust service department.
We went from 6 to 16 service
bays and offer full-service
detailing.”
Brandon Wilson
Floor Manager
12 • In Touch with Southern Kentucky July 2020