Holden dealership eyes move

Mark Cromie Holden

Mark Cromie Holden wants to sell its showroom and service department in central Whangarei and move the business to Porowini Ave.

The showroom and service department on separate freehold properties in Hannah St have been listed for sale by deadline private treaty by August 1 along with a building on leased land at 16-18 Reyburn St which was once a laundry and surveyors' office and more lately a butchery.

The three properties can be bought together or separately. Ross Blomfield, who is handling the marketing for Bayleys Real Estate, said buyers could make conditional offers expressing what they want and the vendors would consider any reasonable deals next month.

Sheryl Cromie said the aim was to shift the business to a site between Northland Toyota and the bridge over the railway lines between the Porowini Ave extension and Okara Drive.

Car dealers are deserting central Whangarei, where reclaimed leased sites are regarded as expensive and restrictive. Putting Mark Cromie Holden next to Northland Toyota, with Pacific Motor Group's Ford, Mazda and Mitsubishi sales across the road, would emphasise the increasing importance of Porowini Ave as the new hub of the city motor trade.

Ms Cromie said a move offered benefits in that new premises they would build would have the showroom and service department under one roof.

Also, although the Hannah St premises were freehold, they were boxed in by leasehold properties which limited expansion.

However, she emphasised that any shift hinged on the sale of the company properties in Hannah St "falling right".

Mark Cromie Holden got established in what is now the parts and service department at 5-15 Hannah St after acquiring the Northland Holden franchise and purchasing Brian Keene's Westons Motors in 1999.