Old Mill Pontiac awaits new building

[attach]548[/attach]Love the smell of a brand new car?

How about a brand new car dealership?

Old Mill Pontiac is going to smell like both as the auto shop is getting new digs at Jane St. and St. Clair Ave. West this October.

“It means everything Old Mill Pontiac is new,” said dealer principal Lou Vavaroutsos.

The area is undergoing a commercial renaissance as construction goes ahead with new stores, restaurants and the St. Clair streetcar extension to Scarlett Rd., he said.

“It’s going to be like a power centre with restaurants and banks and you can drive right to Walmart because it’s going to be right next to us,” Vavaroutsos said. “The future of St. Clair, which basically the urban planning is more or less making it like Bloor Village, is progressing.

“All the major players are in the area: the Home Depots, the Canadian Tires — new housing, new developments are under way,” he added. “It’s going to be a pretty nice area in a very short time.”

With General Motors’ announcement in May that 42 percent of its Canadian dealerships would close their doors by October 2010, Vavaroutsos said Old Mill’s move into a bigger store is good news.

Even though the Pontiac car line will no longer be in the picture, he’s hopeful about new car models like the Buick Allure and GMC Terrain coming out.

“Why wouldn’t any dealer be looking forward to moving into a facility with a 1,000-foot frontage,” he said. “There’s none in Toronto like that and I think it’s an opportunity not only for us but for General Motors as well.”

Other changes with the new location include more parking, an Internet café and a drive-thru car wash service.

As for the old location in South Kingsway, Vavaroutsos said it’s not desirable because it’s not close to the customers he really wants to hook.

“The one thing I’ve learned in life is when you are near the water, fish don’t buy cars,” he said with a chuckle.