Herb Chambers Dealers – Cadillac Warwick Rhode Island

Herb Chambers Cadillac move to Warwick retailing mecca pays off

Article Courtesy of:  Providence Journal

By Barbara Polichetti – Journal Staff Writer

WARWICK — Drivers may have noticed that the gargantuan American flag that long flew over the Herb Chambers Cadillac dealership off Route 95 in Providence is no longer there.

That’s because the dealership itself has moved –– to the suburbs.

Shortly after the first of the year, Chambers moved its Escalades and other vehicles to 1151 Bald Hill Rd., in Warwick, the site of Chambers’ Saturn business until General Motors pulled the plug on that line.

The move is being applauded by city officials who said they enjoyed a good relationship with Chambers and wanted to keep the jobs and the taxes in the city. Mayor Scott Avedisian and City Councilman Raymond Gallucci both worked to encourage the move to Warwick, which will involve a total overhaul of the site to bring it in line with Cadillac design specifications for its dealers.

The move is important, Avedisian said, because it not only prevents a fallow spot from cropping up on Route 2 (which is called Bald Hill Road in Warwick), but it also brings in property taxes and considerable inventory taxes because of the cars that Chambers will keep on the lot.

For decades, the Chambers Cadillac dealership was located on the fringe of Route 95 south, off Elmwood Avenue in Providence.

Unfortunately, Warwick’s gain is a loss for neighboring West Warwick, where Chambers had been considering opening up a dealership for the past couple of years. The West Warwick location, also on Route 2, which is known as Quaker Lane in that town, is little more than one mile south of the Warwick spot.

“The mayor and Councilman Gallucci definitely worked to make it clear that they wanted the dealership in Warwick,” said K. Joseph Shekarchi, lawyer for the dealership. “And we had a good history with the city.”

Herb Chambers, who owns 47 car dealerships in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, said that Warwick’s courting was a factor, but the move to Route 2 was also a good business decision. Not only can he make use of some of the existing Saturn facilities, but he can also take advantage of the heavy traffic that travels the retail strip daily.

“At our old location, we were more of a destination stop,” Chambers said Tuesday. “Now, we’re really in a retail mecca, and it presents us with a world of opportunity.” He estimated that sales are up 30 percent to 40 percent since the move to Warwick.

“We also want to make sure that people know that they can still get their Saturns serviced at the same spot and they’ll see many of the same folks,” he said.

Chambers said that the West Warwick land is for sale. According to town records, Chambers owns nearly 3.4 acres at 561 Quaker Lane, just north of the Quaker Valley Mall shopping center.

As for the 50-by-30-foot flag that flapped above the old dealership, Chambers, who prominently displays American flags at all his businesses, said it will appear over Route 2 if he is able to secure the proper pole and comply with city zoning requirements.

bpoliche@projo.com