BMW of Meridian General Manager Richard Buesinger is looking forward to a move in the next 18 months to relocate the dealership from its Highway 39 location to a new property on South Frontage Road near Interstate 20, close to Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership.

BMW of Meridian has outgrown its Highway 39 location, according to company officials, and will move to 507 S. Frontage Road in the next 18 months.

“We’ve been talking about moving for a couple of years,” BMW of Meridian General Manager Richard Buesinger said. “We’ve purchased seven acres on South Frontage Road near Interstate 20, close to Harley-Davidson. We’ll have more space, more inventory and a state of the art sales and service facility, which is a $5 million project.”

Hoyt Hayes Construction Co. of Jackson, Tenn., will be the general contractor for the project.

Buesinger said the dealership sells approximately 500 vehicles per year and employs 28 people.

“We think the new location can increase sales to 650 vehicles per year, and we will increase employees to 35,” Buesinger said.

The BMW franchise is owned by Wayne Gregory, of Charleston, S.C. He purchased the dealership in June 2014.

“Our store has been at the Highway 39 location for 40 years. Through the years, Porsche, Audi, Mazda and Volkswagen dealerships have been here but BMW has outlasted them based on demand of the product,” Buesinger said. 

Buesinger said customers will be in for a treat at the new location.

“Crews still have to mark power and gas lines and do a survey of the property for the necessary dirt work,” Buesinger said. “It’s going to be exciting when the dirt level is five feet above Frontage Road. Visibility of the dealership will be pretty good.”