Two 'Famous' Harley Shops Even Better Than One

Reported and written by Dirk Langeveld.

The owner of a longtime Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealership in Groton is proposing a similar business for the former Coca-Cola building on Bank Street.

Mike Schwartz, owner of Mike's Famous Harley-Davidson, will discuss the proposal at tonight’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

In a letter to the commission, Schwartz said he wants to run a franchise for Harley-Davidson, BRP/Can-Am, and Polaris products at 951 Bank Street. Schwartz said the focus would primarily be on sales and services for new and used motorcycles, but that it would offer all-terrain vehicles and watercraft as well. 

“This project is an adaptive reuse of an existing building and will bring new jobs to the city of New London,” Schwartz says in the letter. “It will be another attraction for current tourists in the area. In addition, it will be another reason for new visitors to come to the city of New London, while also servicing the recreational needs of the greater southeastern Connecticut area and beyond.”

The 54,063 square foot building was built in 1950 and is owned by Coca-Cola Bottling of Southeastern Connecticut LLC. Formerly used for Coca-Cola bottling and distribution services, the company moved to Parkway South in New London in 2010. 

Schwartz says he plans to repair a roof that was “badly damaged” during Hurricane Sandy and do general renovations to the interior—including a customer lounge with a theme dedicated to New London’s heritage and that of the Coast Guard Academy and Sub Base New London—but would not change the building’s footprint. 

Schwartz has owned the Harley-Davidson business, a Gold Star Highway dealership that has been in Groton for more than 40 years, since 2004. This business also specializes in motorcycles with additional sales and services for ATVs and watercraft. 

Schwartz said 15 people are employed at that business and that he plans to have double that number of employees at the New London site. Plans for the dealership show sales in the front of the building and storage and services in the rear, which includes frontage on Westwood Ave. 

Schwartz says the business would have less of an impact on the neighborhood than Coca-Cola, since it will have shorter hours and less traffic from large delivery trucks. 

The Office of Development and Planning said in a memo to the commission that the building is in the general commercial district and that a dealership would be acceptable if a special permit is approved. Schwartz has filed for such a permit, doing business as RLH New London LLC, and has filed an application for the business as Northern Reach Inc., the same name used when Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson applied to move the Groton dealership across the highway. 

In a memo to the commission, New London’s city planner and zoning enforcement officer suggested that the commission approve the special permit with several conditions. These include limiting outdoor vehicle displays to a small grassy area in front of the building; getting approval from the zoning enforcement officer for changes such as signage, parking lot restriping, and lighting; and limiting all vehicle services and associated materials to interior spaces.