Foster Ford getting a facelift for automaker's program

In the three decades since Scott Foster’s family purchased the fa­cility that houses Holton’s Foster Ford dealership, not much about the building’s interior or exterior has changed.

“We’ve got some lovely 1985 paneling in here,” Foster joked.

But in recent months, the Ford dealership’s customers have en­countered some changes to the in­side and outside of the building, which Foster said was “due for a remodel.” However, he noted, the remodel is coming at the request of the Ford Motor Company, which is working on making all of its deal­erships “compliant with Ford’s fa­cility requirements.”

“Basically, Ford has an image program for its buildings,” Foster said. “They have a vision of what they want all of their stores to look like. When it’s done, it’s going to be compliant with that vision, but it’s also going to guarantee that we’ll be here for many more years to come.”

That “vision” is the Ford Trust­mark program, through which the auto manufacturer is providing funds to dealerships that refurbish their storefronts in accordance with the program, which reportedly em­phasizes making dealerships com­patible with consumers’ desires for digital information.

“In their opinion, all the dealer­ships need to carry the same image, the same appearance,” Foster said. “So we’re stepping in line.”

However, that doesn’t necessar­ily mean that Foster Ford will be­come a “McDealership” with a “ho­mogenized” appearance. The deal­ership is known throughout north­east Kansas for the Foster family’s commitment to excellence that be­gan in 1954 when Foster’s father, Ray, opened a dealership in Horton and ran it for 34 years — and Fos­ter said that will not change.

The facility was originally built four decades ago as a Ford dealer­ship for the Roberts family, Foster said. But when he purchased it from Bob Baum in July of 1985, he added, it was being used at the time as a restaurant.

Not much has changed since Foster Ford opened its doors — at least aesthetically. Now, Foster said, when the remodel is complete — hopefully by this summer, he noted — the dealership will have more room to show off new auto­mobiles, updated offices, 11-foot ceilings and ADA-compliant restrooms.

Foster’s also proud that the new dealership will include a “service lane,” which will enable customers seeking auto repair work to drive into the building rather than park­ing the car outside and having to deal with inclement weather while walking into the service center. Furthermore, the exterior will fea­ture an anodized aluminum front.

When completed, the dealer­ship’s exterior will be similar to that of the Laird-Noller Ford deal­ership in Topeka.

“When it’s done, you won’t rec­ognize the place,” Foster said.

Part of the “image branding” in­volved with the remodel involves keeping the dealership in compli­ance with the Trustmark program, which allows the facility to retain its image in the event that the deal­ership changes hands in the future, Foster said, noting that will not happen with Foster Ford anytime soon.

“We’re committed to being here in Jackson County,” he said. “This county’s been good to us.”

Foster Ford is located at 311 Arizona Ave. in Holton. For more information, call the dealership at 364-4646.