North Yorkshire car dealership Browns of Richmond is on course to achieve annual turnover of more than £20 million just two years after launching.
Founded by directors Fraser Brown and Tim Roelich, the Richmond-based business has grown from a standing start to employ 31 local people, while establishing itself as a leading used electric vehicle specialist and the UK’s largest independent used Tesla dealer.
Since opening its doors, Browns has sold more than 1,400 vehicles and generated more than 500 five-star customer reviews, while its workshop has serviced more than 2,000 cars and carried out 1,800 MOTs.
Based on the market town’s Gallowfields Trading Estate, the dealership typically holds around 120 used vehicles in stock, the vast majority electric, alongside a fully equipped workshop providing servicing, repairs, MOTs, tyres and exhausts.
Its rapid growth has seen Browns attract customers from across the UK, while also generating significant economic benefits closer to home.
The business has spent more than £1 million with local suppliers and funded more than 200 hotel stays for customers collecting vehicles, encouraging them to stay longer and spend in the area.
The anniversary follows an exceptional 12 months for the dealership, which saw it named Rising Star at the Autotrader Retailer Awards before winning New Independent Dealership of the Year at the Motor Trader Industry Awards.
Fraser Brown said: “When Tim and I started this venture, we put our homes on the line and risked everything to create the sort of dealership we would want to buy from ourselves – one where customers are treated properly and can trust the people they’re dealing with.
“The growth has exceeded anything we could have imagined, but what makes us particularly proud is that people are travelling from all over the UK to Richmond and that we’ve been able to put something back into the local economy and community.
“We recognised early on that demand for high-quality used electric vehicles was growing, particularly Tesla, and made a conscious decision to specialise. These days our biggest challenge isn’t selling cars – it’s finding enough of the right vehicles that meet our standards.”
Browns has also supported more than 25 community groups, clubs and events. Its team has raised almost £10,000 for local charities and worked with more than 300 schoolchildren and young people.
Tim Roelich added: “We’ve never wanted to simply sell someone a car and wave them off down the road. We want customers to come back, recommend us and feel they’ve been looked after properly.
“None of what we’ve achieved over the past two years would have been possible without the support of our customers, colleagues, suppliers and the wider Richmond community. We’re hugely grateful for that support and, as the business grows, we want to make sure we continue giving something back.”
