ESCANABA — TEAM Automotive is opening a used car lot and service center in Escanaba next month.

Business partners Greg Bink and Brian Boucher recently purchased the property located at 401 Stephenson Avenue in Escanaba, formerly the Decker Koepp Auto Sales Inc location.

Decker Kopek Sales Inc. is still in operation, just next door at 331 Stephenson Avenue.

Decker Kopek leased the property at 331 Stepheson Avenue to JN Taxi, but will now utilize the property as the taxi service is scheduled to close this month.

Bink, who also owns TEAM Chevrolet Automotive in Manistique with Boucher, said he’s been looking for a way to get back to the area.

“I’ve been looking for a opportunity in Escanaba to open up a large service center slash used car dealership, and I was approached by the guys from Decker Koepp and said that they were interested in possibly selling and that’s what led to this,” Bink said.

The business will be named TEAM Automotive Sales and Repair.

“Having spent my whole life in Escanaba, and a good portion of my car career over, 30 years; I find it exciting to get back into that community and help people that I’ve taken care for 30 years,” Bink said.

General Manager Samantha Baker echoed Bink, saying the new location will help service customers at a closer location.

“We’ve been fortunate to retain a lot of business from the Delta County area. And we want to service them better and be a little more accessible to them; that’s the goal,” Baker said.

She said a lot of Escanaba residents make the trip to Manistique for service, but the new location will offer customers a closer option.

“We’ve been in Manistique since March of 2020, so we’re officially just over 5 years now. And we’ve spent a lot of time, servicing our customers back and forth and they’ve put a lot of miles on just doing business with us; we just want to service service them in their neighborhood,” she explained.

The new location also benefits customers in Manistique according to Baker.

“This in turn will help us service our Manistique guests much better too. We’ll be able to get people in quicker over here for quick service, oil changes and stuff. So, it should benefit both locations,” she explained.

Once open, TEAM Automotive Sales and Repair will offer several services including oil changes, engine replacement, transmission replacement and more.

In addition, the property will operate as used car lot, where patrons may buy, sell or trade used vehicles.

Bink said any used car sold with less than 100,000 miles and less than 10 years old comes with a lifetime power train warranty.

To start, Bink estimates 20 to 30 cars to be on the lot, with the intention of adding more vehicles.

The building is currently under going renovations, making room for bays and lifts.

“We actually have to raise a portion of the building up to get more clearance for car hoists and lifts and stuff,” he explained.

The showroom is also undergoing renovations for a service center and a waiting area.

Bink is hopeful to open the doors in Escanaba by the end of May to early June.

The new location is currently seeking employees, and applications may be found on Indeed.com.

“We’re excited to get back in to the community,” Bink said.