By Dan Shell 

What dealership has the good fortune to relocate to a new facility with more service and showroom space, while still maintaining essentially the same location? Alabama’s Greenville Equipment Center pulled it off last year by leaving its longtime building across the street from the Butler County courthouse to an auto dealership that was closing one block away.

The county’s longest-operating power equipment dealership, Greenville Equipment Center had operated out of its former location going on 30 years in a historic building across the street from the courthouse. Needing to expand the space-challenged 1,700 sq. ft. showroom, co-owner Thomas Phelps looked into several options, including remodeling and knocking down walls in the current location—but nothing was feasible, and Greenville is a small town with few comparable properties for a power equipment store relocation.

Instead, good fortune arrived last year when a former GM-Buick dealership just a block away was closing its doors after operating as a used car operation. The facility is exactly what Phelps was looking for: More showroom space, plus easier in-out access for customers and trailer-pullers, a large service area and more.

The dealership made the move, just over 100 yards, in June 2025. Phelps adds the dealership did expand its parts department in the new facility, taking over one of the shop bays.

A major Polaris dealer, along with the full Husqvarna line and Exmark mowers, Phelps says ATV sales held up last fall despite extensive drought conditions. Dry weather has persisted into the new year, he notes, but adds that the dealership exceeded its ATV sales goals in March and April 2026.