Tom Bush BMW Orange Park Powered by Future Retail & Fourth Generation Ownership

Tom Bush BMW Orange Park recently completed a Future Retail renovation to enhance the experience for their valued customers and provide their dedicated employees with a fresh and inspiring environment.

The Bush Family’s Legacy

The Bush family’s passion for automobiles dates back to 1918 when Tom Bush Sr. opened Bush Motor Company in Louisiana. In 1980, its BMW legacy began in Jacksonville, Florida, with Tom Bush Jr. acquiring his fi rst BMW franchise. In 2006, Tom Jr. and his son John opened BMW of Orange Park. As the years passed, John’s children, Megan Bush Del Pizzo and Brian Bush, joined the dealership, representing the fourth generation of the family.

The Next Generation of Bush

With a passion for the automobile industry rooted in their blood, Megan and Brian view the dealership as more than a workplace. Everyone at Tom Bush BMW Orange Park is considered family, and many even got to see Megan’s daughter take her first steps at the dealership.

Megan and Brian play crucial roles in the Tom Bush Family of Dealerships, which employs a staff of more than 330 in the Jacksonville area. The family has always embraced progress and has never shied away from emerging technology, exemplified by John Bush’s first job at the dealership computerizing the stores in the 1990s. Megan and Brian continue this focus on technology, leveraging digital marketing, social media, and e-commerce to keep the dealership on the cutting edge.

In October 2022, the dealership embarked on a Future Retail renovation that was completed in March 2023. Throughout this period, employees worked out of temporary spaces and every department was able to remain open. “This experience actually brought our team closer together, strengthening our bond and enhancing teamwork,” said Brian Bush. “We faced the challenges of the renovation with resilience and emerged from it with a sense of accomplishment and a deeper sense of unity,” he continued. 

The planning and execution of the renovation focused heavily on aesthetics to provide the facility with comfort and a modern touch. Notably, a newly enclosed delivery area offers customers a special and memorable experience when purchasing a new vehicle. The upgrades not only enhanced the look and feel with fresh paint and new lighting, but also increased the square footage of the facility with the addition of an enclosed delivery area. According to Telis Assimenios, Chief Operating Officer, “With these updates, the dealership now feels like a brand-new store.”

In line with the growth of electric vehicles (EVs), the Future Retail renovation prioritized the integration of EV infrastructure. EV chargers are now in the showroom and New Vehicle Delivery area, and additional chargers were installed in the parking lot for both customers and the general public to utilize. This effort aimed to position the dealership as the go-to destination for EVs in Jacksonville.

The Grand Re-Opening

Customers, employees, and key community members attended a highly anticipated grand re-opening event on May 11. The occasion was marked by a special ribbon-cutting ceremony in collaboration with the chamber of commerce, symbolizing the dealership’s elevated presence in the community. Highlights of the event included guided tours of the new facility and a mobile service display with two technicians explaining the capabilities of the mobile service offering. The celebration also featured speeches by Megan and Brian, who shared insights into the Future Retail project and the dealership’s longstanding ties to the community.

Family Atmosphere with Community Ties

The dealership prides itself on fostering a strong company culture and environment that mirrors its family ties. This sense of unity extends to all members of the team, creating a supportive and inclusive work environment. With an average employee tenure of 6.5 years across the group, there is deep-rooted loyalty and continuity within the team. One particular employee that shines through is David Levin, the first hire in the parts department of the Orange Park dealership nearly two decades ago. The dealership operates under the philosophy of empowering managers to run their respective departments as independent businesses, fostering a sense of leadership and accountability throughout the teams. Voted one of the “Best Places to Work” by the Jacksonville Business Journal and one of the “Healthiest Companies” by the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council, this philosophy is working.

“Community relations are paramount to our success,” shared Megan Bush. “Being locally owned and a family business ourselves, giving back to the community that has supported us for over 50 years is one of our most important corporate values.” Tom Bush BMW Orange Park participates in more than 60 non-profit events each year. These events not only give them the opportunity to improve the community but also to talk about, display and test drive BMWs with other supporters. Recent focus areas include local youth, breast cancer awareness, and law enforcement. Additionally, they offer paid apprenticeships to students at Jacksonville Tech School and Florida State College at Jacksonville.

The reception from both employees and customers upon completion of Future Retail has been overwhelmingly positive, and the entire team looks forward to continued growth in the next era.

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