Weelborg Chevrolet of New Ulm, located at 1430 Westridge Road, has been undergoing renovation the last few months to add 10,000 square feet to the business.

NEW ULM – Anyone driving by Weelborg Chevrolet at 1430 Westridge Road in New Ulm, may have noticed some major renovations and a large expansion of their business.

Brett Weelborg, owner and CEO Ann Perry, and other team members at Weelborg have been planning the last few years for a nearly $3 million renovation and 10,000 square foot expansion for their business. They will be moving into the new space very soon.

The expanded showroom will have space for up to five cars which will double their showroom’s size. The expansion includes a six-bay reconditioning detail center and additional hoist capacity in the existing shop. They added EV charging stations. They also added lighting and resurfaced the parking lot.

There will be a new and expanded customer lounge for casual conversation, a children’s section, and business friendly workstations for the customers working while they wait. The new addition includes new restrooms, and a private room for nursing mothers. All for the convenience of their customers.

The parts department will be redesigned, the service drive customer experience area expanded, and air conditioning installed in the shop. Additional space will be available for the employees’ offices, training room, a conference room, and break room. All done to give the employees an efficient, comfortable, and great experience while working at Weelborg.

The expansion will also provide space to hire additional staff, creating new job opportunities. Currently, Weelborg Chevrolet of New Ulm has 34 full-time and part-time employees.

Brett Weelborg also owns Weelborg Chevrolet of Glencoe and Weelborg Ford of Redwood Falls. There are 22 employees in Glencoe, 41 in Redwood Falls and ten more with the Weelborg Auto Group for a total of 107 employees.

Weelborg provides educational opportunities for high school students at all three locations. The group offers tools, autos to work on, job shadowing and internship opportunities. Staff members will also speak to students, classes, and tech programs.

Internships allow students to get a feel for the industry and possible employment in the future. Pathways are provided to start in the quick lube, or oil change, or tire rotation areas. Employees may progress to more technical work with company-provided hands-on classroom and e-learning.

“We provide individuals with the chance to find the right fit and to pursue opportunities for growth, not only in the shop, but into other positions and departments,” said Perry.

Brett Weelborg joined the Redwood Falls Motor Company in 1987 as a sales consultant. He purchased 50 percent of the Redwood Falls Ford Dealership in 1995, becoming Kohls Weelborg Ford. Weelborg bought out Ron Kohls in 2017 and the business became known as Weelborg Ford.

Weelborg Ford in Redwood Falls has the longest history of the three entities. It dates back 100 years to its start. They were recognized at the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association’s (MADA) annual meeting in October 2024. “It’s a big accomplishment to be on stage as a 100 year dealer,” said Perry.

Weelborg Chevrolet in New Ulm originated in Springfield, Minnesota, and moved to New Ulm, Minnesota in 2011.

Weelborg purchased the store in Glencoe in 2020 which is now called Weelborg Chevrolet of Glencoe.

The Mark of Excellence from the manufacturer has been won by Weelborg Chevrolet of New Ulm every year since 2011. The award is an accomplishment reserved for only a select few outstanding Chevrolet Dealerships and is a symbol of extraordinary performance in sales and customer satisfaction excellence. For a dealer to be considered for the award, they must have achieved a year over year sales increase and excellent reviews from customer satisfaction surveys for vehicle purchases and service department visits to qualify for this esteemed award.

“We owe the success of Weelborg Auto to our loyal customers, our dedicated employees, and the strong relationships we’ve built within our community over the past century,” said Perry.

Weelborg in New Ulm and Glencoe sell new Chevrolet vehicles, and Redwood Falls sells new Ford vehicles. However, all three dealerships sell and service all makes and models of used vehicles.

For customer convenience, Weelborg offers courtesy pickup and delivery to our service customers. Weelborg provided nearly 2,000 customer courtesy deliveries last year.

Weelborg Chevrolet in New Ulm is the only Chevrolet dealership in Brown County. “We are focused on providing a great selection of new and used vehicles and outstanding customer sales and service. We have a premier service department with world class and master technicians. We are a diverse and challenging market. Weelborg continues to grow its facility, our staff, and our inventory. Additionally, we remain on the cusp of innovation with employee training and advancement in technology,” said Perry.

“At the end of the day, it is all about the relationships we build and the need to satisfy our customers,” said Perry.

“I credit Brett Weelborg’s visionary leadership in creating a cohesive corporate team to actualize our vision. Together we have dismantled silos among three independent dealerships, standardized, customized, and centralized our operations. Our customers, employees, and communities are our most valued business partner, and we emulate this through our mission, which includes enthusiasm for excellence; every day, every time, without fail, no exceptions,” said Perry.

Weelborg Chevrolet supports New Ulm’s NUMAS Haus, breast cancer awareness, Woman in Heels leadership event, backpack programs, food drives, and local sports at all three locations.

Currently they also support and are asking for donations for Cashton Pressley, age 9 months of Sleepy Eye. On April 4, 2024, he was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare, malignant tumor that forms in the retina. He has been hospitalized since birth. His Go Fund Me page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/c3anp-help-cashton-fight-retinoblastoma.