Sodikoffs Add Nissan Brand

 
The owners of Steven Toyota and Steven Kia have brought Harrisonburg Nissan into their fold, according to Jake Sodikoff, president of the dealership that’s been renamed Steven Nissan. The deal, which closed April 11, included the East Market Street business and real estate associated with it.
 
Sodikoff would not disclose the sale price in the private transaction. However, a deed recorded at the Rockingham County Courthouse indicates Soda Prop 33 East LLC bought the dealership’s two parcels on which the car lot and service department sit for $4.617 million on April 11.
 
Sodikoff said Ed Lewis, who owned Harrisonburg Nissan, was looking to retire and contacted the family to see if they were interested in buying the business.
 
“Nissan has a good reputation here in Harrisonburg, and the brand fit,” he said, “so it was an easy decision.”
 
The dealership had a good staff in place, said Sodikoff, so few personnel changes are expected.
 
“We have a lot of very long-tenured employees here who bring a lot of enthusiasm and knowledge, so we definitely need them,” he said.
 
The dealership’s sales force, in fact, will have a broader array of vehicles to offer clients. Sodikoff said his family recently announced that its sales people will be able to assist customers with any vehicle at any of its dealerships.
 
While few personnel changes are planned, Sodikoff said new technology will be introduced at the dealership.
 
Steven Nissan, he said, will feature state-of-the-art Facebook and Google marketing tools and digital platforms to sell vehicles online. The dealership also will price its used vehicles below book value and share those book values with customers.
 
“We’re planning to bring the dealership into the 21st century with technology,” said Sodikoff, the former general manager of Steven Kia. “Mr. Lewis ran a very classy establishment, but we’ll be bringing some technology we’ve used to the Nissan store to help it grow.”
 
Though the family’s Toyota and Kia dealerships are on South Main Street, Sodikoff said the Nissan dealership won’t be joining them.
 
In fact, he thinks the lot is ideally situated to take advantage of predicted growth patterns for Rockingham County.
 
“With the expansion of the entire city moving out [U.S.] 33 East, we feel this is going to be the newest and best area to be in,” Sodikoff said. “Everybody at some point’s probably going to want to be moving in this direction.
 
“With 33 being the highest-traffic road in the city, we feel we have the best frontage space in the city.”

Sodikoff said Matt Francisco, a 14-year employee of Steven Toyota, has been promoted to general manager of the Kia dealership.
 
The dealerships are led by company founder Steven Sodikoff.


Charles Redifer of Pineville (left) talks with Steven Nissan General Manager Jake Sodikoff (center) and service adviser Mike Racca as he gets his vehicle serviced on Wednesday.


Dylan Iorio, sales consultant at Steven Nissan, installs a dealer plate on a car on their sales lot Wednesday.


Steven Nissan technician Dickie Leap works on an oil change for a customer’s vehicle on Wednesday.