What began 70 years ago with a single Chrysler franchise in Northwest Queens, has turned into a mainstay in the community as well as the automobile industry.
Howard Koeppel’s father Nat opened a Chrysler franchise at Northern Boulevard and 96th Street in 1937, and it has evolved throughout the years into the Koeppel Group, which currently operates Koeppel Nissan, Koeppel Volkswagen and Koeppel Mazda in Queens.
“The Koeppel name has a lot of value,” said Howard Koeppel, who has been involved in the business for nearly 50 years and currently owns the group with partner Mark Lacher.
PAST
When Nat Koeppel opened his first location in 1937, he was one of many Koeppels to get involved in the car business. Many of his cousins ran lots out of Queens, New York City and even New Jersey.
However, the group originally founded by Nat Koeppel, is the only group that continues to operate today.
Current owner, Howard Koeppel remembers going to the first location when he was a young boy.
“My father used to take me to the showroom when I was a young kid,” Howard Koeppel recalled. “I used to go every Saturday. I really liked cars; that’s when I got the bug.”
When he returned from his time in the service in 1959, Howard Koeppel turned his attention to working with his father in the family business.
From 1959 through 1986, Koeppel explained that the Chrysler franchise served as the main provider of police cars for the city and state as well as the car for the municipalities throughout the city.
During that period, the franchise was the largest Chrysler provider in terms of volume of any franchise on the East Coast, according to Koeppel.
In the meantime, Koeppel dabbled in other locations and new franchises. He opened up a Porsche and Audi franchise in Northwest Queens 1978 and Chrysler franchise in Smithtown, Long Island that same year.
Five years, later Koeppel opened a Nissan franchise on 55th Street and Northern Boulevard, and in 1986, he opened a Mitsubishi franchise on 78th Street and Northern.
Finally, after closing some franchises and relocating others, Koeppel arrived at the group’s status:
Koeppel Nissan: 74-15 Northern Blvd.
Koeppel Volkswagen: 57-15 Northern Blvd.
Koeppel Mazda: 57-01 Northern Blvd.
Since Howard Koeppel started in the business nearly 50 years, ago, he has seen the business and industry undergo numerous changes.
“When I first went into the business it was run and owned by an older generation,” Koeppel said. “Now, it became a young persons business, very high tech and very sophisticated. The business has changed completely.”
Koeppel explained that nowadays, there are no longer mechanics that fix the cars, but there are technicians who work on them.
He also said that although the price of cars has not increased very much during the past decade, the makeup and reliability of the cars has gotten much better, which he credited to the government getting involved.
“If the business would have stayed the same as it was 25 years ago, I probably wouldn’t be in it today,” he said.
In addition, Koeppel said that his group has also altered their approach to selling cars. Currently, the salespeople cater much more closely to the customers’ needs, and develop relationships with the customers so that if issues arise, the customer has a person they trust to help them with the issue.
PRESENT
Koeppel has three dealerships in Queens, Koeppel Nissan, Koeppel Volkswagen and Koeppel Mazda with four separate lots set up that sell certified pre-owned vehicles.
Koeppel continues to oversee the Volkswagen and Mazda dealerships, while his partner, Mark Lacher, is in charge of the Koeppel Nissan location. Koeppel said that he met Lacher in 1983, and the two have been 50/50 partners in the business since.
“Everything has been really great,” Lacher said. “The best thing about the business that we have created is taking care of our customers, putting people in the right car for the right price.”
While the Koeppel group has changed locations a number of times throughout its nearly 70-year history, one thing has always remained constant - the borough of Queens.
“Queens has always been good to us,” Koeppel said. “It’s a great borough.”
Koeppel said that the area has always encompassed many homeowners, who often are the ones that have come into the dealerships.
“We have people who buy cars from us because they know we will take care of them,” Koeppel said.
While many of the customers may be homeowners, Lacher also said that many live in apartments so purchasing the car may be their biggest investment.
“We understand that,” he said. “We make sure that the people are happy with the purchase of their car, and we help them maintain their vehicle.”
In addition to selling pre-owned and new cars, Koeppel said the location’s proximity to public transportation to and from Manhattan is extremely beneficial. It provides the customers with an opportunity to drop their cars off in the morning for service, take mass transit into the city to go to work and then return to the dealership at the end of the day to pick up their car.
The Koeppel Group has been a member of the Better Business Bureau since 1983 and is a member of The Queens Chamber of Commerce.
FUTURE
Although Howard Koeppel has been in the business for almost 50 years, and the Koeppel dealerships have been serving Queens for nearly 70, he hopes that the Koeppel name will continue to be attached to the dealerships.
Oftentimes, customers will come into the dealership and tell Koeppel stories about how their parents or even grandparents bought their cars from Koeppel or his father, and how they want to continue the tradition.
“There is a comfort level when they know someone has been in the business for a long time,” Koeppel said.
Although, he does not know how long he will continue to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the business, Koeppel said he still finds excitement in every new day.
“I have a love of the automobile,” he said. “It’s a great American dream. I have a passion for the car business. It still excites me, and it is fun.”
