Auto dealer getting in shipshape

MOSES LAKE — If the owner of Moses Lake Family Auto has his way, there will be a lot more boats on the horizon.

Beginning Tuesday, the 11-year-old business has extended its services to include the sale of various boat offerings from Xpress. Offerings will include luxury pontoons, standard pontoons, fish and ski models and bass boats, with the opportunity to order bay boats, deck boats and jon boats.

Owner Garry Burns said he loves boating because it is a pleasurable sport.

"There just has not been available boats in this area, like the pontoon boats, the sport-fishing boats, tournament boats," he said. "None of that's available here, so it's just a niche for this area … We saw a real need in the community for a boat dealership."

Burns expects the public will not have to go out of the community to shop or for service.

Xpress and Veranda Pontoon West Coast regional sales manager Brian Hoke's company had been looking at the area for a while.

"This is a hot spot for recreation," Hoke said of Moses Lake. "Moses Lake Family Auto has an excellent location. They'd be a good company to represent our product."

Hoke foresees a big change in the community.

"I see a lot of people able to get a lot of local stuff as far as their boating needs," he said. Servicing will also be available. "We see there's a need for that, that services a lot of people in the area. I see there's going to be a pretty big effect on the community, just for the fact that they don't need to go out of town, buy a boat, and if something's wrong, they have to go out of town to have it fixed or they need supplies or whatever."

Hoke added the new offerings make Burns' business more diverse.

Burns said his dealership employs six people, and he was unsure what the anticipated boat sales will be.

"We'll adjust and we expect to have more salesmen here," he said.

The business, which began in 1995, has done well selling automobiles, Burns said, noting that Pamp Maiers and Bob Fancher were instrumental in helping him find the dealership's present location. Moses Lake Family and Auto moved from a downtown location in 2000.

"Moses Lake is a good community; we enjoy serving it," Burns said.