Local 'KAR' Dealership Celebrates Grand Opening

DECORAH -- Local car dealership duo Kelly Bachelder and Randy Imoehl invite the community to celebrate the grand opening of their brand new Chrysler store with an open house on March 14, 2024. The new Chrysler store directly adjoins their Chevrolet facility, all owned and operated under the umbrella of KAR Auto Group of Decorah. Car buyers in the market can now locally purchase vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands in a beautifully renovated building. "We made a sizeable investment and are fully committed to the Decorah area," said Imoehl. He went on to say that even though the project was delayed by a month and a half, he considered themselves lucky amidst labor shortages and supply chain issues. The celebration will kick off with a ribbon cutting through the Chamber of Commerce at 4 p.m., followed by an open house of the facility from 4-7 p.m. consisting of showroom tours, door prizes, and snacks. KAR (Kelly And Randy) Auto Group of Decorah have an established history with the community since 2002, and not just through selling quality vehicles. "We uphold a 'community driven' philosophy by donating back to those in our trade area," Imoehl expressed. "This includes school boosters, Fire and Police Departments, childcare centers, agriculture groups, student scholarships, local fairs, and other events. We also have a program that pays KAR employees to volunteer for eight hours yearly." KAR's impressive commitment to sustainability also sets them apart from your typical dealership. "We have had solar panels installed on our building since 2011 and have had huge savings in electrical cost," Imoehl explained. "We recently installed nine EV chargers to enhance the sales of our EV customers." Two of these electric vehicle charging ports are available for public use outside of the main entrance to their building with just a swipe of a credit card. Kelly Bachelder grew up in the car business alongside his two brothers with a passion for finding and fixing older cars and reselling them. "Growing up in the car business, you either love it or you don't, and I've had the passion since the day I started," Bachelder said. His love for helping people find the right vehicle to satisfy their needs is a top priority and he instills that passion into his employees through leading by example. Bachelder bought his first store in 2002 and expanded into many thriving businesses. Randy Imoehl grew up on a large farm family near Gunder, lA, becoming a natural negotiator out of necessity. He started in the car business in 1991 and moved to Decorah in 2002 with his wife, Kay, and two sons, Tanner and Thomas. He has served on childcare boards, NICC College Advisory Board, Decorah School Advisory Board, Decorah Chamber Ambassadors and Board, church committees, and many other organizations. Bachelder and Imoehl said they encourage all to attend this exciting open house as an opportunity to foster local relationships and discover what "community driven" is all about.