Laura LaydenNaples Daily News
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When Tim and Sheila Zellers purchased an existing Hyundai dealership in East Naples in 2008, little did they know the road it would lead them on.
They'd owned and operated Tamiami Ford successfully for decades, following in his hardworking father's footsteps.
With the addition of Hyundai, the couple ‒ who met in high school ‒ saw more growth in their business than they could have ever imagined. So much growth, it eventually led them to build a new dealership for the brand in 2014, three times the size of the old one.
Now, they're getting ready to build another stand-alone dealership – for Genesis.
Once operated as Hyundai's luxury vehicle division, Genesis is coming into its own, with fancy showrooms planned around the country.
The Zellers are building the largest prototype store on 10.5 acres they assembled and purchased near the intersection of Pine Ridge Road and Interstate 75. A central site, it's surrounded by other commercial development.
"I think it's going to be responsible growth," Tim said. "Smart growth."
In March, Collier County commissioners unanimously approved the zoning for the project.
Known for its more affordable vehicles, Hyundai began marketing its first luxury Genesis cars in 2008, the same year the Zellers acquired the local dealership, located off Davis Boulevard, at the time. The Genesis brand has come a long way since then, taking them along for the ride.
"We have done fantastic with it," Tim said. "For the last five years, we've been in the Top 5 in volume for Genesis, for the whole country."
In two of those years, the dealership ranked at No. 1 in the world, he said, a reflection of the high affluence and strong luxury demand in Naples.
The price for the brand's smallest sedan starts at more than $40,000, and the largest, most luxurious version tops $90,000.
"There are months when we've sold more Genesises than Hyundais," Tim said. "It's more equally matched than what you might think."
Between the three brands, the family sells more than 7,000 new and used vehicles a year. On average, it's about 600 a month.
From our archives: Hyundai dealership rolls out expansion plans
And: Tamiami Hyundia dealership bigger and greener
Investing in the future
The new Genesis dealership, spanning 30,000 square feet, will be a big investment for the Zellers.
"It's north of a $25 million commitment, including the land," he said.
It won't be like any other dealership in town.
"This building is going to knock your socks off," Tim said, with excitement. "It's going to look like something you see in San Francisco. Very modern."
The building will have a lot of windows – and a lot of glass.
"It's going to look like a high-end hotel," said Sheila Zellers, chiming in, during a phone interview.
She explained there's little room to put her own personality or stamp on the building, as she has with the family's other dealerships. The building has been predesigned to the hilt by the Korean-based Hyundai Motor Company, from the faucets to the floors – and even down to the toilet paper holders, she said.
"There's a little decorating money, but not much," she informed.
The high-end design, she said, includes a "tea garden" in the customer waiting area, where customers will be able to sip on Korean blends, along with a tranquil, lushly landscaped atrium. The dealership will come with an even higher level of service, fitting of the upscale brand, for maintenance and repair.
"It's not just about building a big building and selling a bunch of cars," Tim said. "The service side of it is a big part of it."
The first floor of the building will be used for sales, with a selection of new and used vehicles on display, and the second floor will house administrative offices. Along with a good-size service center, there will be an EV charging station with six rapid chargers, offered at a competitive price ‒ and open to the community.
There will be a valet service to pick up cars for service at homes or workplaces, and a loaner fleet, as there is now, so customers won't be left without wheels.
By the end of this year, Genesis could have more than 50 stand-alone dealerships in the U.S., with another 40 or so opening in 2025.
Currently, there are about 240 Genesis dealers in the U.S., but it's likely to end up closer to 200, as part of the transition, with its separation for Hyundai, Tim said.
Site work is expected to begin on the Naples dealership in July. It's anticipated to open by the end of 2025.
More like this: Three auto dealerships change hands in Lee County for more than $110 million. What to know
Improving customer service
By moving Genesis out of its current location off Airport-Pulling Road in North Naples, the Zellers will gain room to take better care of their Hyundai customers, too.
After Genesis relocates, Tamiami Hyundai will be fully renovated and expanded. It replaced the former King Richard's Family Fun Park many years ago.
The new Genesis dealership will have about 50 employees. That will bring the total workforce to about 350, for all operations.
"I love my employees. I get very involved with employees," Tim said.
Over the years, the Zellers have attended many weddings and funerals, sharing the good times and the bad with their workers.
Now, the business involves a third generation of the family, daughter Joy Zellers-Rautenkranz and son A.J. Zellers – who are more responsible for the day-to-day operations than their parents at this point.
This summer, a fourth generation will be more visible.
The couple's grandson Landin will soon go from a part-time to a full-time employee, following his graduation from Florida Gulf Coast University.
The dealerships are among only a few privately owned ones in Southwest Florida.
Tim's dad opened Tamiami Ford in 1973, after moving the family to Naples from Fort Lauderdale, buying it out from the county's namesake Collier family, then renaming it.
In 1974, Tim met Sheila when he stopped in to buy some fuel and bait at her parents' marina, and she helped him out. They've been growing together and growing up with Naples ever since then.
"We are still fishing together," she said, with a laugh.
At least, as time allows, with their business in expansion mode again.
Asked whether he's considering retirement, Tim said it's not on his mind, even in his mid-60s.
"I just enjoy what I'm doing," he said. "I enjoy interaction with customers. The customers and the employees, that's the best part of my job."
