John Podegracz and Ron Ruffalo started working together in 1974. When their business ventures began, they were involved with ten different franchises and operated out of four different retail locations. Harley-Davidson® models, Hondas, Suzuki's, BMW's, and Kawasaki's filled the showroom floors. When the Harbor City dealership was first purchased, John Podegracz and Ron Ruffalo were impressed with the large supply of used Harley® motorcycles and they wanted to continue to offer a large selection of used bikes. Harley-Davidson® models and other used bikes shared the floor with the new Kawasaki's. However, there was one stipulation with the Harley-Davidson® motorcycles; a wall had to be installed to separate the Kawasaki bikes from the Harley® motorcycles because Kawasaki did not want to be associated with the Harley® name.
After a dealership show, the owners were introduced to the idea of a "designer store." In 1988, John Podegracz and Mark Ruffalo, Ron Ruffalo's son, made their first attempt to beautify the dealership. Black plastic "roads" were laid out in a pathway throughout the store. Traffic lights, road signs and palm trees lined the roadway. The customers were now able to cruise along the road as they made their way through the store.
As the market changed, so did the dealership. Harley-Davidson motorcycles became a high demand item and slowly the Kawasaki product line was eliminated. When construction was completed in 1993, the beautiful new store deserved a name change and invited the acquisition of the Buell® product line. Harbor City Harley-Davidson became California Harley-Davidson/Buell. 
You may wonder,"What's new at California Harley-Davidson/Buell?" Besides our ongoing commitment to excellence and our effort to meet our customers' desires, the question really should be,"What isn't new?"
In April 1998, we celebrated the opening of our expanded service and parts facility putting us at 20,000 square feet. The new service center houses the state-of-the-art digital diagnostic technology, the "Dyno." It allows our service techs to efficiently and effectively diagnose the problematic parts or systems within your motorcycle. It also allows our service techs to spend more time solving problems instead of diagnosing them.
On April 25, 2001, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new addition. The old motel next-door to California Harley-Davidson/Buell was torn down and the space was filled with a concrete, steel, and a glass two-story building. The environment within the new building had to be one-of-a-kind with a comfortable, open, and inviting feel.
November 25, 2001 marked the 25-year anniversary of California Harley-Davidson/Buell and was also our grand Re-Opening. The opened doors revealed an all-new parts, accessories, and MotorClothes® merchandise department. A renovation to the existing showroom was also completed. The construction expanded the total square footage by 10,000 square feet making California Harley-Davidson/Buell an impressive 30,000 square foot facility. Since the building nearly doubled in size, the number of employees, nearly doubled as well.
California Harley-Davidson/Buell has a huge selection of new and used bikes as well as one of the largest selections of MotorClothes® merchandise on the entire west coast. Our accessories and MotorClothes® selection is so expansive that it now occupies the entire second story. As you ascend the stairs, take notice of the 3-D replica of California Harley-Davidson/Buell's logo. An original painted canvas by Rufus Snoddy acts as a backdrop. The original work of art depicts the South Bay at sunset. The Malibu and Palos Verdes peninsulas are clearly seen as out-croppings of land off the peaceful coast. In front of the painted background, a first edition 1990 Fat Boy® motorcycle sits comfortably between two palm trees. This is only one of the many original works of art housed in California Harley-Davidson/Buell.
The new building has 30-foot-high ceilings that aid in portraying the industrial corporate Harley image. The palm trees lining the showroom walkway provide a comfortable laid-back atmosphere synonymous with the open-air ride on your Harley. Besides the visually appealing new building, being a family-owned and operated business is also an appealing aspect to customers and employees alike. In fact, John Podegracz and Mark Ruffalo still come into work on a daily basis to ensure a quality customer experience. 
The knowledgeable, factory-trained staff makes you feel as comfortable as you would at home. Not only do the employees sport Harley-Davidson® attire, more than 50% of the 52 employees ride motorcycles, so their immense knowledge comes from both professional training and personal experience. In order to keep the staff up to date on new products, training videos are broadcast via satellite directly from Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee .
Besides the attention we get because of our tangible commodities, the Harley-Davidson name attracts many people to our store. Travelers pass by in the night and actually act upon their desire to photograph themselves standing in front of the California Harley-Davidson/Buell sign as verification of a final destination accomplishment.
Along with being recognized by the people of the western United States , California Harley-Davidson/Buell has been acknowledged by a worldwide following as well. Members from many foreign H.O.G. Chapters plan visits to California Harley-Davidson/Buell to see the world famous "Harley Dome" built in 1941. The homes of the traveling visitors span the globe from Europe all the way to Asia .
Business accomplishments have far exceeded the expectation of even the owners. In fact, California Harley-Davidson/Buell is an award-winning dealership. We have recently been acknowledged as one of the top 100 motorcycle dealerships in the entire nation for 2005. California Harley-Davidson/Buell has been in the same location for 30 years and, in January of 2002, the dealership was presented with The Longevity Award, which recognized our lengthy track record of success.
Not only is California Harley-Davidson/Buell a successful retail store, but we are also involved in numerous community services. California Harley-Davidson/Buell is an active member in the community locally, statewide, and nationally. Mark Ruffalo is the President of the Harbor City Business Coalition and is on the board of directors of the California Motorcycle Dealers Association. Our involvement in the California Motorcycle Dealers Association and the Harbor City Business Coalition keeps the dealership informed of all the changes in the laws that affect motorcycle riders.
California Harley-Davidson/Buell is the home of the South Bay H.O.G. Chapter which is in its 20th year and impressively contains over 300 members. We are proud sponsors of the Love Ride, Harbor Area Child Crisis Center , the B.A.D. Ride, Gay Pride Long Beach, and the Boys and Girls Club of Harbor City. When any other fund-raisers arise, we try to participate in them.
 The tragedies of 9/11 prompted a fund-raising ride, The Freedom Ride, which was held on September 28, 2001. The ride spanned the entire country. Participants and loyal customers of California Harley-Davidson/Buell helped to raise over $35,000, which was donated to the American Red Cross.
You can always count on the summer weekend B.B.Q.'s at California Harley-Davidson/Buell to draw large crowds. The large gas grill is fired up from April through September. The B.B.Q. gets rolling around 11am, and the grill is full of free hot dogs and hamburgers until mid-afternoon. Saturdays at California Harley-Davidson/Buell are used as a meeting place or simply as a hang out for all motorcycle enthusiasts.
The future of California Harley-Davidson/Buell includes further expansion and improvement of facilities. Thoughts about extending California Harley-Davidson/Buell into other retail locations are under consideration. In June of 2002, California Harley-Davidson/Buell acquired the property adjacent to the existing store and plans to further enhance the existing facility are in the making.
Come and visit us frequently to stay updated with the constant improvements at California Harley-Davidson/Buell! If you cannot make it into the store, you can always find us online at www.californiaharleydavidson.com Just like the legend of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, the legend of California Harley-Davidson/Buell will continue to grow. |
