DCH Auto Group Breaks Ground on Lexus Dealership

At the site of a former Ford dealership at 350 Hitchcock Way, representatives from national luxury auto group DCH broke ground today on a new Lexus dealership, due to open its doors in the spring of 2012. The new location sits on a 2.8-acre plot of land and will host a 16,000-square-foot showroom, just across from Santa Barbara’s BMW dealership.

“We’re delighted with the opportunity to bring the DCH way of doing business to the community of Santa Barbara,” said George Yazbek, general manager of DCH Lexus of Oxnard. “This has been a long-awaited addition to the DCH family of dealerships and we feel Lexus is a great fit for the City of Santa Barbara.”

Headquartered in South Amboy, New Jersey, the DCH auto group operates more than 27 new and used dealerships nationwide, and tailors to high-end customers with locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and California. The company aims to expand its already strong customer-base in Santa Barbara, eliminating the need to drive to Oxnard for Lexus models.

“We have a local following and we just want to increase that following,” said Yazbek. “We have good product and it is a solid company so we have been able to maintain our business. We will be operating as a full facility to service the needs of Santa Barbara and the surrounding counties.”

The site of the future Lexus of Santa Barbara will house management and accounting offices adjoining the showroom, with a service center and parking lot in the back. The building’s wood-shingle exterior is to be completely redone and given “the full Lexus treatment.”

The new dealership will offer a full range of new and pre-owned vehicles as well as service and parts operations.