A multi-million dollar upgrade to the Dieffenbach GM Superstore in Rockingham will be celebrated Friday and Saturday with cake, free hot dogs and fun for kids.
Previous owner Russell Bennett sold the GM dealership to the Dieffenbach family more than 16 years ago. The GM Superstore is owned by Hank, Danette and Jeff Dieffenbach. Bennett built the dealership, located at 1209 E. Broad Ave. in Rockingham, in 1968 in order to expand his business, which was located in downtown Rockingham before that, Bennett said.
“We’ve been here since 1996 and the community has always been very supportive of the dealership,” said owner Danette Dieffenbach. “We felt that the dealership is an integral part of the community and it’s grown. We’ve gained the trust of the residents of the area and we always offer unparalleled service.”
Despite economic downturn in the area and slow growth in the car sales market, Dieffenbach has managed to continue to prosper, they said.
“We’ve always had the largest inventory,” said Dieffenbach. “Now we have a first rate facility.”
According to Dieffenbach, the event will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Friday at 3 p.m., The Dieffenbach GM Superstore will have its official ribbon cutting and flag raising. There will be cake. Saturday Dieffenbach said there will be free hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as “vintage cars and race cars, face painting, a bounce house and a balloon sculpturer.”
Sales Manager Nick Crest said he has been working at the dealership for five years and said he is staying put.
“This is definitely a good place to work,” said Crest. “These are good people to work for. The new facility is beautiful and very functional. It’s a good environment to come out and spend time at.”
The facility has been in the making for some time.
“We signed up two years ago to participate in GM’s new image program,” said owner Jeff Dieffenbach over nine months ago when construction began. “The new design is based on meeting the company’s new specifications. We elected to do this because we want to be a part of the future of GM.”
— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.
Larry K. Dunn