SHOP: Elite Motorsports LOCATION: Farmingdale, N.Y. OWNER: Sal Valenti and Kai Kairyaman SIZE: 5,000 square feet
STAFF: 5 MONTHLY CAR COUNT: 120 ANNUAL REVENUE: $600,000
1) When Elite Motorsports moved into a new facility in 2013, owners Sal Valenti and Kai Kairyaman knew they wanted the showroom to be a showstopper for their high-end, European-car clients.
“As soon as they came into the showroom, we didn’t want them to leave,” says Kairyaman.
To that end, the owners created a bright, inviting showroom that features a vintage blue Porsche that belongs to one of the shop’s technicians.
“It’s very rare, so it’s a conversation starter,” Kariyaman says.
He also notes that the car is an opportunity for the shop to show the work that they do and the variety of makes they work on.
2) French doors with floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto the shop floor. Kairyaman says they wanted customers to be able to peek into the shop floor, which they keep strictly organized and neat.
But the doors have a keypad with PIN codes to gain access to the shop floor.
“We still wanted to control when the customers could enter that area,” Kairyaman says.
3) Besides the vintage Porsche, the showroom features more subtle nods to automotive culture: Car paintings, quotes and plaques hang on the walls. Kairyaman says they looked to local artists for the paintings, which also serve to bring color to the shop.
4) Another automotive touch is the glass-topped coffee table, which is made out of an engine block. Kairyaman says the shop built the table themselves, using an old engine from a customer’s car and cutting a piece of glass down to size.
5) To maintain a luxurious feel, Kairyaman and Valenti installed bright lighting and spotlights to create a warm, bright space. The hardwood floors were selected both for their warm tones and for the low maintenance.
