Fort Worth-based Frank Kent Motor Company has purchased a 125,000-square-foot facility in North Richland Hills to serve as headquarters for the relocation of Southwest ADI, its General Motors accessory distribution business.
Located at 6550 Wuliger Way, the 15-acre property is located north of N.E. Loop 820 near Iron Horse Boulevard. The auto dealership also plans to create a Texas training facility on the site.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“The city couldn’t ask for a better use and business for this property. Their investment into upgrading the facility alongside the quality employment generation is a great marriage with this superior location just north of the recently expanded Loop 820 and future TEX Rail commuter rail service,” said North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino.
Southwest ADI is the exclusive automotive accessories distributor for the General Motors brands in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and the Southern Valley areas. The new location will employ about 50 full-time employees in conjunction with space to train up to 75 people from the dealers served. The remodeled building, formerly a Sealy bedding plant, will be stripped of all non-energy efficient materials and replaced with the latest in LED technology and HVAC advancements.
“We spent months looking for the right place to locate our new headquarters and could not be any more pleased with our choice. The city’s location in the middle of the Metroplex, the expanding TEX Rail and employee base were key in our decision making process,” said Will Churchill, president of Frank Kent Motor Company.
The company also plans to open Fort Worth Grills, a retail and online distributor of barbeque-related items at the same address.
Opened in 1935 by the late Frank Kent, the dealership has grown to two Fort Worth locations and has received numerous national awards for outstanding sales and service.
The family heritage continues today with the fourth generation of Kent automobile dealers. Frank Kent’s great-grandchildren carry on his legacy by remaining family-owned and operated.
Betty Dillard
bdillard@bizpress.net