Harley dealer roars
into county

Snohomish County Business Journal/JOHN WOLCOTT “This is the region’s first new Harley-Davidson dealership to open in 20 years,” said Scott Smernis, adding that after he was awarded the dealership he discovered he had beat out 21 competitors.

By John Wolcott
SCBJ Editor

There’s no doubt you’re at a Harley dealership when you ride up to park at Scott Smernis’ new Sound Harley-Davidson store in north Marysville at the Smokey Point I-5 exit.

First, you notice all of the parking spaces across the front of the building are reserved for motorcycles.

Then you see the Harley-Davidson emblem on the water tower atop the building, which is designed to reflect the style of the company’s Milwaukee headquarters plant.

Beyond the glass-door entrance are rows of gleaming 2007 Harleys and racks of leather riding wear.

It’s so attractive that many riders and potential customers drop in almost daily just to hang out and socialize, Smernis said, often spending time at the store’s Kickstand Cafe, where staff meetings are often held, too.

“This is the region’s first new Harley-Davidson dealership to open in 20 years,” said Smernis, who said that after he was awarded the dealership he discovered he had beat out 21 competitors. “This has been more than two years in the planning and construction. The company was so impressed with our ‘factory style’ building that they sent us a brick from the factory to put into one of our indoor and outdoor fireplaces.”

Even though the dealership is new, Smernis said his 32 employees, including his sales and maintenance crew, collectively have decades of experience with Harleys.

“We also have probably the most advanced, state-of-the-art motorcycle service facility in the country,” he said. “There are eight bays equipped with the latest equipment and tools, plus a sound-proof booth where we can run a bike at highway speeds to test engine performance.”

Some 2,000 people showed up for a pancake breakfast at the early October opening of the store, touring the showroom, visiting the service center and looking over the free outdoor bike washer for visitors or traveling bikers passing through the area, he said.

“Harley-Davidson is a phenomenal, 103-year-old company that is one of the best known in the world. It’s been a lot of work working with them to get this store open but a lot of fun, too, a lot of fun,” he said.