I liked the days before the boutique look came into the norm. Remember when the local Harley dealer/wrench/owner/salesman was one and the same. With today's stores that have some unbelievable overhead it's no wonder why they all have to have huge profits, set flat rates and commissions in place. I talked to a local dealer manager that stated the overhead alone was over $100,000 per month! One other stated the electric bill ran more than $20,000 per month! Would Harley be able to survive the old school way? I also like local dive bars and back street cafes.

 

I've stopped in many dealers now and its pretty easy to pick out the family owned dealership vs the large dealer group dealerships. One seems more welcoming and the other just seems stiff and uninviting, I'm sure you can guess which is which.

 

Are you just guessing, or you basing this on the grumpy ones are working for their dad's? Never work for a family member.

 

boutique

noun

bou·​tique bü-ˈtēk
often attributive
Synonyms of boutique
1
a
: a small shop dealing in fashionable clothing or accessories
b
: a small shop within a large department store
2
: a small company that offers highly specialized services or products
boutique wineries
an independent investment boutique
boutiquey
bü-ˈtē-kē
adjective



nothing about a dealership is like a boutique....a small mom and pop motorcycle shop, ya know, the kind that are going away....those are actually a closer depiction of what an actual boutique is all about

 

I fondly remember those Mom and Pop Dealers. Jim's, Griffiths, Brandts etc. They would go out of their way to take care of the Customers. Every time I stop at the local Dealer all I see is new faces.

 

The “boutique” observation is about 30 years old. It came about when the clothes and Knick knack section of the dealership grew to dominate the floor space.

I haven’t seen an old school dealership in 4 decades or more. I don’t miss ‘em much. In my area, they were kinda dirty hole in the wall places, in the low rent part of town. They did have lots of used parts on oily wooden shelves, but a low inventory of new parts. They could get you anything needed, took about a week. You could buy a helmet, if one of the three they had fit you, same way with gloves, goggles etc. They usually had big stacks of Tees, all black and choose from 2 designs for this year! They had patches and stickers.
They looked and operated about like the Indy shops around today.

 

I remember the old days. You'd walk into a dealership and right away you saw stains on the floor and the air smelled like motor oil and gasoline combustion, there was usually some old greybeard behind the counter smoking a cigarette, there was a rack with some shirts (mostly all black) hats and leather jackets. There were a few motorcycles for sale.

There was a guy in the back named Butch or Buzz, or something like that, turning wrenches, he was probably missing a finger or two. He might have been missing some teeth too. If you asked this man a question about a part or how to install something he knew exactly what he was talking about when he answered you.
There were rows and rows of parts for sale, some new and some used.
You could hang around and have a beer. There might be a party or a bike night event going on. Maybe a band. Ah yes, I remember the old days...

 

now that sounds like a boutique to me, small, exclusive clientele, very limited in what they offer....did you guys feel like 'dandy-men' when you went into one of those places?

 

Ha ha, I think the “boutique” label is more about glass shelved display cabinets, and chrome plated hanger racks!
But, to answer your question; I don’t feel like a dandy-man, but I’m working on it!

 

Going back maybe 30 years or so I remember the "It ain't about riding anymore, it's a friggin fashion show" saying on lots of things. It started a long time ago. Motorcycle sales fell and the dealerships discovered they were selling more of the clothing line. I can't recall the latest % but that's what's keeping HD afloat. There are clothing and memorabilia stores only in several places. I remember stopping in a some only to discover you couldn't even buy a quart of oil!