It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
No, it’s a man parachuting in for the grand opening of Heartland Toyota Scion in Bremerton.
Heartland Toyota Scion’s grand opening celebration drew a large crowd to the West Hills Auto Plex July 11, 2008. People toured the dealership, enjoyed music and sipped champagne to celebrate the facility’s grand opening.
With his mother, Joanne Haselwood, by his side, Haselwood Auto Group General Manager Rick Wiler dedicated the new dealerhips to his father and founder of Haselwood Auto Group Chuck Haselwood. Chuck died in 2006 at the age of 83.
Heartland Toyota Scion opened for business at the end of May. Heartland Toyota Scion General Manager Tom Diefendorf worked many 15-our days in preparation for the grand celebration.
“We spent the last 13 months walking through this facility and we’re very, very pleased with how it turned out,” Diefendorf said.
Heartland Toyota Scion has all the amenities imaginable including a hi-tech Scion area, gourmet café, children’s play area and a Wi-Fi lounge.
“It’s 56,000 square feet of new car smell,” said Mark Angelacos, Toyota Motor Sales USA, Portland Region general manager.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off in the air. A parachutist from the Red Bull Air Force dropped from 5,000 feet to hand over giant golden scissors (section missing)
Mother to cut the red ribbon, Angelacos presented them with a Japanese katana sword for good luck.
“I just want to thank all of our employees who do things for us on a daily basis,” Wiler said before cutting the ribbon.
Angelacos said Toyota sells more than two million vehicles a year and Heartland Toyota Scion of Bremerton will need to sell many vehicles for the state-of-the-art facility it now calls home.
“About every 28 minutes, they need to sell a car,” Angelacos said with a smile.
Heartland Toyota Scion is sold raffle tickets to benefit the West Sound Boys and Girls Club. Prizes included a free one-year lease for a 2009 Toyota Camry, a trip for two to Las Vegas, Seattle Seahawks season tickets and Seattle Mariners game tickets.

Leave a Reply