There’s something different about this year’s Connecticut International Auto Show that runs Nov. 19-21 at the Connecticut Convention Center.
Connecticut consumers are actually going to be able to buy cars at the show. Surprisingly, that’s something that has never been done before.
James Fleming, executive director of the Connecticut Automobile Retailers Association, which sponsors the show since the Greater Hartford Automotive Dealers Association merged into the group, said special legislation passed last year allows for a non-profit organization like his group to sponsor a sale for up to four consecutive days at a non-dealership location. (Automotive dealers in Connecticut can only sell their vehicles at specific locations.)
The dealers won’t be selling new cars and trucks. Instead, they will be offering certified pre-owned vehicles. Those are used vehicles that are certified by new car manufacturers after an in-depth inspection and only sold by new car dealers. They typically are less than five years old with no more than 60,000 miles on the odometer.
At first blush, it may seem odd to have used cars sold at a new car show but the certified pre-owned segment is a profit center for new car dealerships with most models costing typically $1,500 more than a comparable non-certified model. New car dealers typically make their profits from their service bays and used car lots with new models almost sold as loss leaders to keep customers coming through the doors.
Certified pre-owned sales nationwide in October were up 23 percent over October 2009, according to figures from Autodata Corp. Overall, sales for the first 10 months of 2010 are up 4.8 percent compared to the same time frame in 2009. The new car market is recovering from a disastrous 2009 but new car sales are still down from their peak of 2007.
The certified pre-owned sale, which Fleming said would be the largest ever in the state, actually takes place across from the convention center at the new Front Street shopping and entertainment district. It will feature dealers from across the state (another change with the statewide automobile retailers group now sponsoring the show).
General Motors has committed to bringing the Chevrolet Volt to the show – one of only a handful of auto shows across the country that will have the electric vehicle on display. Connecticut is among the first states in the country to receive the Volt that goes on sale in early 2011.
The show is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 19 and Nov. 20 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 21. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 6 to 12.
Baker Opens In West Hartford
Hartford Baking Company recently opened at 625 New Park Ave., West Hartford. After moving back from a career in Manhattan, owner Scott Kluger wanted to bring the highest quality of artisan breads, coffee, and baked goods to his hometown of West Hartford. Hartford Baking Company makes everything from scratch each morning and uses only ingredients available from Connecticut and surrounding states.Â
More info is available at: www.hartfordbaking.com.
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Parking Plan Gets Backing
Daniel Ostrow, chairman of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Central Business Bureau, announced that the committee moved to support new parking initiatives brought forth by city of Middletown parking director Tom Hartley.
The first of such initiatives is a $740,000 investment for parking improvements, which will include new meter collection technology, off-street parking lot lighting, security cameras, and emergency call boxes, signage, and other aesthetic improvements in the Downtown Middletown shopping area.
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ShopRite Adds Home Delivery
ShopRite of West Hartford will offer its customers a new, convenient service — ShopRite from Home. Using ShopRite from Home, customers can place their grocery order online.
Orders are placed at www.ShopRite.com, by selecting your local store and selecting the products to purchase. Customers can specify how they like their deli meats sliced, what particular cuts of meat they prefer, or what type of apples they’d like — and everything is delivered to their specifications.
Purchases are delivered to the customer’s home at a pre-selected time or customers can pull up to a specially designated parking spot at the store for curbside pick-up and have their groceries brought right out to the car. Curbside delivery is $9.95 and home delivery is an additional $5.95.
