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Community-Involvement

 
Atamian takes steps to expand business, community presence
By Joyce Tsai, jtsai@lowellsun.com  7/15/2010

TEWKSBURY -- The Atamian Volkswagen and Honda car dealership has broken ground on a half-million dollar expansion of its car lots, taking the first step toward an eventual $10 million expansion of the business in the coming years, said Atamian dealership president Terry Atamian.

The family-owned business has spent more than $1 million on two plots of land along Interstate 495 North, located north of its current dealership, Atamian said.

The additional land clears the way for expanded development of the current business at 150 Main St. The business now owns a total of six acres east alongside Route 38's I-495 North exit on which to renovate, build and expand.
"We were stymied by being in the same facility for 40 years," but the purchase of new land and town zoning permits allow for future growth, Atamian said.

The dealership also has just begun the design process for the eventual revamping of its two buildings.

It plans to redesign the first floor of its original building, turning it into a dedicated Volkswagen dealership, and double the space in its second building, which currently serves as a storage building for cars, from 20,000 to 40,000 square feet to accommodate the Honda portion of its business.

Since the building expansion plans will depend on a number of approvals from respective Volkswagen and Honda headquarters, as well as the town's zoning board, it's not yet known what the timeline for the buildings' renovations will be, Atamian said.

But by the end of the expansion process, the dealership plans to increase its staff by 50 percent, adding another 35 workers, he said. In the past 20 years, it has doubled its number of employees to 70, and even in the recession, the business did not have any layoffs, but has been adding employees, Atamian said.

Atamian said that the dealership's expansion is a sign of the family-owned business's success even in a trying economic environment, as well as its commitment to the surrounding community.

The family, which has a history of selling cars dating back to 1919, has owned a Volkswagen franchise in Tewksbury since 1969, and a Honda dealership since 1976.

"It has been a lesson passed onto through four generations of Atamians that if you treat your customers and employees fairly you will have success in business," Atamian said.

For that reason, the business is not only expanding its business presence but deciding to adopt a more visible leadership role as a business committed to community and charitable works, Atamian said.

For the past several years, and even in the economic downturn, the business has donated nearly $100,000 annually to scores of local charities and community groups, including the Genesis Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cam Neely Foundation, and various Tewksbury and Lowell youth organizations.

It's become especially important for businesses to step up and talk about the role they can play in helping the larger community, Atamian said.

"We need to get the word out because these organizations are getting crunched in this current economy, and it might encourage other businesses to step up," Atamian said.


ATAMIAN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Atamian's Community Connection


As a family owned and operated company, we at Atamian Volkswagen and Honda understand that there is more to being part of a community than just running a business within it. We strive to be active with and supportive to the members of our community. Commitment is a key part to our core values, and through this commitment, it allows us to remain a successful operation.

Please contact Emily, Director of Community Activities, to discuss ways that we at Atamian could be supportive to YOUR organization, cause, or event at:

 
Emily Manion
Director of Community Activities
Atamian Volkswagen and Honda
508.954.9003
Emily@atamian.com


Below please find some links of the organizations that Atamian VW and Honda have helped in their charitable causes:


Genesis Fund
Susan G. Komen Foundation
Cam Neely Foundation
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Jimmy Fund
Muscular Dystrophy
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Ellie Fund
NARSAD Research
Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
Lowell Police Athletic league
Tewksbury Dare Program


2010 Charitable Initiatives

Genesis Fund "A Magical Evening honoring Dr. Murray Feingold"
Courtyard Open
Tewksbury Patriotic Activities Committee
Shed Park Youth Baseball/ Highland Sports Association
Tewksbury Youth Baseball
Tewksbury Girls Softball
Urban Improv
Cystic Fibrosis /Kevin's Corner Pocket
Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church
Tewksbury Youth Skating Association
Cape Cod Hospital
The Boy's and Girl's Club of Cape Cod
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center