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Shults Granted Special Use Permit For New Hyundai Dealership

The 181 E. Fairmount Ave. facility that currently houses Shults Express Lube and Tire will soon be remodeled to include a new Hyundai dealership. A special use permit application submitted by Shults Auto Group and Shults Real Estate LLC was approved unanimously by members of Lakewood’s Zoning Board of Appeals and Board of Trustees this week. P-J photo by Gavin Paterniti

LAKEWOOD — With the unanimous approval of Lakewood’s Zoning Board of Appeals and Board of Trustees, a new Hyundai dealership will soon be operating along East Fairmount Avenue in the village.

This week, Shults Auto Group — via a special use permit application submitted by its associated Shults Real Estate LLC — received permission by the aforementioned boards to remodel and convert its currently owned existing building at 181 E. Fairmount Ave. into a 4,000-square foot new-used Hyundai auto and truck dealership.

The deal reached final approval during Monday’s meeting of the Board of Trustees, during which Paul Somers, chief financial officer of Shults Auto Group and Shults Real Estate LLC, stated the groups’ proposal and desire to work with and for the community.

“We have operated a sales and service facility, Shults Express Lube and Tire, in this facility for 15 years and thought this would be a good compliment; and, candidly, we’d like to take advantage of the increased retail traffic on Fairmount Avenue,” Somers said. “This is a good market to do business in, despite some of our challenging income demographics.”

“Our commitment to the community, our health care plan and giving our employees the ability to move up and make a better career are just some of the reasons it’s been a privilege to work for this auto group,” he continued. “What sets Shults Auto Group apart from our competitors is the amount of money and support we give back to the local community. It’s our way of saying ‘thanks for allowing us the privilege to do business here in Chautauqua County.'”

Somers said the renovations and new dealership outlet would have no impact on the services provided by Shults Express Lube and Tire, and added that the already established service station would work in tandem with the dealership.

At the meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals last week, Somers told board members that Shults Auto Group previously operated an auto sales operation at the site in question following the group’s purchase of the property in the early 2000s. In addition to wanting to participate in the aforementioned increased retail traffic, and to engage in friendly competition with William McFadden’s Toyota and forthcoming Honda dealerships on East Fairmount Avenue, the group also reasoned that the 181 E. Fairmount Ave. location is more economically feasible than building an updated facility at its current Jamestown location — 2253 Washington St.

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