Mark Allen of First Coast Powersports wants to provide Northeast Florida residents a single source for all their outdoor toys.
Allen has sold motorcycles and ATVs from Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Polaris and Can-Am since 1997. With the opening of First Coast Boat & Marine, the St. Augustine businessman has now added boats and personal watercraft to the lineup.
"Our goal is to be the number one destination for power sports," Allen said. "If you can use on land or on water, you'll find it here."
Located one mile from the Vilano Bridge boat ramp, the dealership is already stocked with a number of boats from Carolina Skiff in a variety of styles, as well as Sea-Doo sport boats and personal watercraft. The lineup also includes the Polaris Breeze, Arctic Cat all-terrain vehicles and Yamaha WaveRunner, along with outboard engines from Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Evinrude. Plans are also in the works for one or two light offshore boat lines.
Inside the showroom, customers can make arrangements for service, while also finding a wide variety of accessories and parts.
Situated on Ponce de Leon Boulevard just two blocks from its sister store, First Coast Honda, the dealership has already drawn its share of attention.
Boat enthusiasts have reportedly called for quotes as they were driving by. And, the store had already made two sales by the time the sign went up - just two weeks after opening.
Allen has been planning his foray into the world of boat sales for about three years, but was waiting for the right opportunity.
"The economy really did a number on the boat industry," Allen said. "This market lost a majority of its small- to medium-sized dealers."
Allen sees the current building as temporary. Within two years, he hopes to have constructed a complex to house all his companies under one roof, giving customers a central location for all their outdoor toys.
The company reported the largest total sales in Florida last year for Honda Powersports, ranking seventh overall nationally. Last season also saw the group score the highest in PWC sales.
The store will partner with Marine University, a nonprofit organization that teaches safe boating skills to new boat owners. The program is a continuation of the company's emphasis on safety, as First Coast Honda also offers a rider training course that covers a range of topics, such as protective gear, lane changes, riding at night, obstacle avoidance and much more.
The company offers free pickup and delivery in six counties, which offers the customer flexibility and a quicker turnaround on servicing.
In addition, the same financing provided for power sports customers will also be available for boat and marine purchases.
Sharing resources among the diverse businesses allows Allen to keep overhead costs down and therefore maintain reasonable pricing. The strategy is part of his commitment to offering dependable products with good history and serviceability.
"Our goal has always been to offer great value and service, and we'll continue to do that at the boat store," Allen said. "If we can't give you a good deal, then we won't carry it."
For more information on First Coast Boat & Marine and First Coast Powersports, go to www.firstcoastboatandmarine.com or www.firstcoasthonda.com.
Photos by anne.hammock@jacksonville.com