Bergstrom acquires Broadway

Heather Graves

Staff

August 23, 2023

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN – The Bergstrom Automotive brand is well-known in the Fox Valley – with several dealership locations in Appleton, Neenah, Kaukauna and Oshkosh, just to name a few.

The same can be said for the Broadway Automotive brand in the Green Bay and Manitowoc areas.

In a continued effort to expand its presence in the Greater Green Bay region, Bergstrom announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Broadway and bring the 100-plus-year company under the Bergstrom umbrella.

“The Cuene family, in our mind, has always been held in high respect,” John Bergstrom, executive chairman of Bergstrom, said. “We are and have been competitors, but we have also been friends.”

John said he and his son Tim, who serves as Bergstrom’s president and chief operating officer, have been interested in purchasing Broadway for at least the past decade.

“I mentioned to them that if ever they wanted to retire from the business we would be interested in seeing if we could work out a plan that would be mutually beneficial,” John said. “The Cuene family decided this would be the appropriate time to sell.”

Similar missions
Though separate entities, John said both Bergstrom and Broadway are family owned and operated with a strong focus on training, teamwork and providing outstanding guest service.

“Both companies have their own separate culture, but the keystone is that we care about our customers and our teammates,” he said.

The acquisition brings the Green Bay and Manitowoc (pictured) Broadway locations under the Bergstrom umbrella. Submitted Photo

Bergstrom got its start in Neenah in 1982 and has over the years expanded throughout the Fox River Valley, and then into Madison and Green Bay.

Broadway was founded in Green Bay by the Cuene family on Broadway Avenue more than 100 years ago – and has since grown to be one of the largest sellers of new and used vehicles, parts, mechanical and body repair and maintenance services in Northeast Wisconsin.

“When we looked at exiting the business, it was important we found a buyer who shared the same commitment of care for our team, guests and communities,” Michael Cuene, owner and managing partner of Broadway Automotive, said. 

David Cuene, owner and managing partner of Broadway, said “Bergstrom was the right choice for us.”

“(It is) a local, family-owned organization with a reputation of guest excellence that will also offer ample growth opportunities for our team,” he said.

Continued growth
John said Bergstrom has focused on growth in Green Bay in recent years acquiring and building state-of-the-art facilities for Mazda (on Taylor Street next to their existing Cadillac-Buick-GMC store) and Subaru (just off Highway 172 on Holmgren Way).

With the Broadway acquisition, John said Bergstrom positions itself as the largest dealer in the Green Bay market, adding Ford and Hyundai on Military Avenue and Chevrolet and Volkswagen on Ashland Avenue – along with more than 1,000 Green Bay-based employees.

“We very much hope all of the employees continue to work with us,” he said. “We couldn’t be more excited to be offering the Broadway teammates the opportunity to join and add to our team and to help us fulfill our goal of providing outstanding guest service to the people of Green Bay, Manitowoc and the surrounding communities.”

The transition, Tim said, is already underway, and “our plan is to hire every current teammate who wants to work with us and understands our guest-focused culture.”

“Those that join us will retain their Broadway tenure for their benefits with Bergstrom, rewarding them for their years of service,” he said.

John Bergstrom said all current Broadway Automotive locations will remain open and represent the brands they currently have. Submitted Photo

Currently, John said the Bergstrom team is in the process of inventorying.

“That includes parts, equipment, used cars and business assets,” he said. “We’re hoping we can have that all completed by the end of the month.”

John said Bergstrom represents all automotive brands sold in the United States, with the exception of luxury boutique brands – Rolls-Royce, Ferrari.

“We believe with a guest-focus operating model, we can now deliver, in Green Bay, a total automotive experience,” he said.

The future
John said there will be an eventual transition in the name of the current Broadway locations.

“We’ll plan a transition where the Broadway name will be brought into the Bergstrom umbrella, but that will take some time,” he said.

All Broadway locations, John said, will remain open.

“And all of the facilities will represent the brands they currently have,” he said. “We’ve made an agreement with Ford and Hyundai that Hyundai will be separated from the Ford dealership, and a new facility will be built, which will be completed next year.”

The new facility – which continues the Cuene family’s plan for a new Hyundai dealership – will be built just a few blocks from Broadway’s current Military location by Green Bay Nursery.

The similarities, John said, between the Bergstrom and Broadway footprints, histories, cultures and focus on guests made this the right decision for both companies.

“We are wildly excited about this opportunity,” he said. “We are excited to welcome Broadway teammates to our automotive family and to be better able to service and sell to the people that live in the Green Bay market. Tim and I have had this as our No. 1 hoped-for acquisition for many years.”