Opelousas dealership's modern design enhances the customer's car shopping experience and streamlines the service process.
Sterling Ford-Lincoln in Opelousas is the first ground-up Ford-Lincoln dealership in the state to feature the innovative Trustmark brand imaging concept. The modern design, a $6 million project, is intended to enhance the customer's car shopping experience, streamline the service process and bring all of the dealership's operations into the digital age.
Sterling Ford-Lincoln in Opelousas is the first ground-up dealership in the state built to Ford's new Trustmark guidelines, a design program announced by the company last year. Ford offered up to $750,000 in financial incentives to its dealers to adopt the modern concept.
A significant amount of glass and energy efficient materials were used, allowing for an abundance of natural light with an open-concept floor plan. The building materials, lighting, and furniture and fixtures were dictated by the Trustmark design program.
The dealership is owned by Art LeBlanc and Robert Cook.
Sterling Ford-Lincoln is located at 5524 I-49 North Service Road in Opelousas, adjacent to the Sterling Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram dealership. Sterling's Ford-Lincoln operations were previously housed at the Bordelon Motors location in downtown Opelousas.
The new Ford-Lincoln two-story facility encompasses more than 50,000 square feet, including an expansive indoor showroom, customer lounge with refreshments and Wi-Fi, state of the art service and parts department and a separate self-contained carwash and detail operation. The second floor will house business and operations offices for all three of Sterling's Opelousas dealerships.
In early 2013, Ford announced that it would offer as much as $750,000 in dollar-for-dollar matching funds to dealers who choose to refurbish their facilities in line with the Ford Trustmark design program. The program, which gives dealers flexibility in the design of their stores as long as they follow Trustmark guidelines, was largely implemented to bring all aspects of the business into the digital age.
While Ford is dangling the incentives to dealers to renovate their facilities, it is not demanding that they do so.
J. B. Mouton served as the general contractor on the Sterling project, and D'Avy and Associates of Opelousas was project architect.
The public is invited to attend the Grand Opening and ribbon-cutting event Feb. 13 at the dealership.