Westwind Honda broke ground Sept. 10 on a $13-million dealership that will replace its longtime location at the eastern edge of Lethbridge, 175 kilometres south of Calgary.
Dealer principal Greg Flom was joined by partners Paul and Gord McDonald, who own McDonald Auto Group, and Honda Canada CEO Jean Marc Leclerc to put shovels in the ground at the site of the 30,000 square-foot (2,700 square-metre) store.
It’s expected to open in December 2025, Flom told Automotive News Canada.
Westwind had outgrown its location around 2018 and the new floorplan is nearly triple the size, Flom said.
The dealership leased another property to store vehicles but gave it up when inventory evaporated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now with replenished stock, space is again at a premium.
“If I had to put in [electric vehicle] chargers, I don’t know where I would put them. I don’t have any parking as it is,” he said.
Flom, who had been general manager of McFadden Honda since 2015, acquired the dealership in 2022 and rebranded it as Westwind with support from McDonald Auto Group. McFadden opened in 1974.
Plans for the new store include a seven-vehicle showroom, a six-vehicle service drive-thru and 13 service and detail bays equipped to handle EVs.
Flom expects to draw fresh buyers and open the door to EV sales while giving current customers an improved experience.
Westwind is Lethbridge’s only Honda dealership. It employs 28 full-time and two part-time staff.
Flom said he aims to turn the showy, glass-enclosed dealership into a community hub for charitable events.
