The birth of a very progressive concept...
In the early 90’s, a prominent group of local Abbotsford business people involved in the automotive industry in Abbotsford initiated the creation and development of the Fraser Valley’s very first automotive shopping centre.
Apart from choosing and developing a piece of land for this purpose, the group chose to develop an entity that would offer easy access to prospective shoppers as well as equal opportunity to each store to these shoppers. This concept was to be developed in an environment that would be more conducive to building full service technologically advanced car dealerships. This forward thinking brought on the creation of the Fraser Valley Auto Mall comprised of a series of full service multi-million dollar dealerships. Nestled in the heart of Abbotsford, a community 60 KM east of the City of Vancouver, the mall was built in the form of a racetrack or loop, with stores lined on each side and in the centre.
Since the initial load of dirt was lifted at the Auto Mall in 1992, several new businesses have seen the importance of being part of this shopping mall. The mall now houses 9 Auto dealerships and 2 restaurant chains as well as an automotive services site named Automall Plaza. Manufacturers represented at the Automall are Ford, Chrysler, GM, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, and Kia.
In October of 2002, the initial Phase of Automall Plaza saw its first anchor tenant move in. Automall Autobody became the focal point of the Plaza. Soon after, a number of automotive services and accessories businesses opened their doors in the Plaza including TOS Insurance (Fraser Valley Automall); a full-service insurance office, Enterprise Car Rental and 20/20 Auto Glass to name a few. Many more businesses have shown interest in being situated in the epicentre of the automotive business in Abbotsford. The Fraser Valley Automall has become, over the years, a substantial employer in the community. More than 375 people are now employed full time in the Automall. This does not take into account numerous businesses in the community that survive exclusively from the business provided by the Automall Dealers.
The Fraser Valley Automall and its Dealers have contributed immensely to the quality of manpower in the community. This manpower upgrade has come about in many ways: technicians are sent off-site to attend training courses and upgrade. The dealerships are also equipped with satellite connections directly to the manufacturer’s training schools offering the employees exceptional in-house training. As well, Dealers are involved in the education of this manpower in the community by contributing scholarships and grants to local schools.
Community Involvement
The Dealers of the Fraser Valley Auto Mall individually and collectively are actively involved in every aspect of life in their community and their financial and moral support shows up in numerous not-for-profit entities. Whether it has to do with supporting sporting teams or events, education bursaries or school organizations or on a broader side with organizations such as the Abbotsford Food Bank, the odds are, the Fraser Valley Auto Mall collectively or one of its Dealerships individually will have some form of involvement.