Copes scaling down some more

Just got word that the Cope & McPheteres in Woodinville was closed yesterday. All the employees were given their walkin papers.
Apparently the sales office in Renton has been closed for some time. So all that is left in Seattle for Copes is the Renton service center...... for now.

Good luck to Utah Watersports. Hope you guys have some big tricks up your sleeve to be a profitable dealer in the Seattle market.

The undertaker is digging a hole now.

Sucks, good luck to John, Brian, Anthony and Sean.

Dealerships that are run like Cope and hurting real bad. They opened way to many locations. I worked as a salesmen at the Renton Store. That sales floor was moved into a terrible location 20 miles south in Sumner. The service stayed in Renton which was always across the street from the Renton Sales building. I wonder if the Sumner store closed as well? It was completely stupid the way they ran it though. There was a dealership in Sumner which sold MC, Centurion, Reinell, Four Winns, Robalo and Striper. A dealership about 40-50 miles away that sold all the same brands. Sumner didn't have it's own service in the building so they had to have a seperate building for that. They also had a Store right in the middle of the 2 others that sold MC. Good thing Centurion uses Mercuiser and those people that got their boats from Cope can take it just about anywhere to get engine warranty work.

No offense to Cope's but I could see this from a mile away. Part of the reason I left Cope. I guess the Cope Machine is coming to a close. Do they still have 10+- locations in the Bay Area? If they do they will be out of business in no time. All that opening stores everywhere does is lower your GP because your own stores start to compete against each other.

The stores you see surviving are the family owned shops that have been in business for a long time that really push good service. That and one's that kept some money in the bank.

I think Darren will be ok. They have 3 dealerships but they are so spread out it may be ok. I am not sure if I would build a big fancy showroom quite yet though.

The Santa Clara store- The original Cope's store is for lease. They're still doing business there, but I don't know how much longer. The Santa Clara Service Center also has a For Lease sign. As far as I know that leaves only Sacramento and Vacaville for service in the Bay area. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.

We have had really good luck with Darren and crew at Seattle Mastercraft. I think the best way to build the business is to take care of your customers, which they have done time and time again for us and lots of others. We've seen them deliver boats hours away and go above and beyond, tells you that they are really interested in making it work long term.

Peter- If Cope's closes the Santa Clara shop, it means that they've opened up another one in the south bay area. There are 0 plans of them closing that service location.

Copes is sub-prime.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't Greg Nelson a major part in copes' pro shops?!?!?!? Looks like he got out at just the right time to head to Hyperlite. Can anyone confirm this ? ?? ? ? (This is not knocking GN by any means! He will always hold a very significant role/place in the progression of wakeboarding and where it's at today.)

Greg ran boarders-paradise which is Cope's board shop.

Word on the street is that all of the Cope/Ultimate stores will be closing in the next 30 days

If they do shut down all their Seattle presence anyone know where to get a Centurion serviced in the Seattle area that will keep the warranty alive?

So if (that is a big if, unless someone has more information than the rumors flying around) they close everywhere including the Sacramento area...does anyone know where to get some Bu' warranty work done in the Sac area?

Scott, really? All this great insider info you get working there is totally accurate, eh? I'm sure they'd let all their employees know before shutting doors.

Sucks to see one of the biggest names in watersports shutting down, but their business practices were shaky by all accounts. Hopefully someone respectable will come around take over where they left off.

I love rumors!!!

Word on the street - You're mom is closing her doors

Start working on your resumes! I'm not sure if it's a good thing to list that you worked for Copes. The hiring manager could have bought a boat there, once.

Honestly, best of luck to the pro shop guys like Ant bug and Myke D.

NOT surprised it was just a matter of time.


ADIOS AMIGOS!

Here's something that's not a rumor, but rather fact: Darren is doing a fantastic job at Mastercraft of Seattle, taking amazing care of customers. A+++

Thanks Eagle and Doug! We are doing everything we can to make MC owners happy.

Wow what suprise!..... SIKE

Corey, you should be able to get your Merc warranty work done at any Merc dealer. Hull warranty, you will need to talk to Centurion customer service. Check your local yellow pages for a Merc dealer.

Not to knock Darren or MC Seattle...... but the last 4 MC dealers in Seattle were great in their first year. It's after that that problems came about. I really hope they can do it this time..... and in Spokane!

As for Cope..... word here is that even their vendors are glad to some extent. They were always really tough to work with.

I think they'll do fine in Seattle, from what I hear that guy has a boat ton of money! Salt Lake, Spokane, Seattle....

Centurions sold very well for cope in woodinville. It wont be long untill some one else is selling them.

I for one have full confidence in Darren and company that they will finally break the mold for MC shops in the Seattle area. We ended up with a 'bu over the MC, but Darren and crew were great to work with and really won us over. Knew the boats, loved the boats, weren't pushy, and were willing to do what was needed to address our questions. It's clear they take care of their customers (and those out looking to become their customers.) ... and their current location works well being 2 min from the lake (I know that has been a great bonus with having Bakes just down the road from the launch ramp.)

So for Seattle we now have:

Malibu: Bakes (Issaquah)
Mastercraft: Seattle MC (Issaquah)
Tige: Sport Boat Northwest (new dealer, on Lk Union)
Centurion: None
Moomba/Supra: Gonnasons (Kent)
CC: Pacfific Nautiques (Lake Tapps)
Supreme: Olyimpic (in bankrupsy)
MB: SkiMasters (Kenmore)

Recent closures (in the past year):
Protour Watersports (Kirkland):
SkiDogs (LakeTapps?) Tige
Copes (Redmond) Centurion

We're pretty light on Mastercraft Dealers in Norcal now. Luckily the one we have is staffed with great people. Service is great. The boat sales guys are all riders. They support the local events and small companies, like CIE.

there are lots of dealers that will be making their exit soon. the ones that will make it will be the ones with great customer service and that have a been in business for a lot time to build up a big customer base. they also need to stop their orders so they can cut back on inventory and their flooring bill down. my parents dealership is real lucky that they own the buildings and land that we're on. so that cuts the bills down a lot. the next year will cut the bad dealers out and keep the good ones in. it should be interesting.

ProTour doesn't really count as being out due to the economy. Cameron had been trying to retire (again) for some time. He tried to sell the company with the Calabria dealership status in tact but the buyer chose not to keep it. Calabria is now sold by some place in Gig Harbor.

Also have a Copes/Ultimate in Rohnert Park but the "for lease" signs have been up for a month or more and the pro shop is drained empty. Pro shop was good but the service end was terrible...

Don't forget Calabria's at PowerBoatsNW in Gig Harbor.
They have moved around too, not sure why. Their shop was in Tacoma on the water, then off I-5 next to BMW dealership, now in Gig Harbor at the old Chevy dealership that is going to be torn down next year for another strip mall. Not sure what their next move will be.

"Peter- If Cope's closes the Santa Clara shop, it means that they've opened up another one in the south bay area. There are 0 plans of them closing that service location."

Oh. Is that what that means? That makes no sense. When Cope owns that property in SC, why would they go and open another location in the South Bay? Plus they already have the UW store in SJ. Anyway, what happens to all the NorCal UW stores if Copes folds?

Greg,

I second your thoughts on Darren and MC NW. Darren is a stand up guy and treated me very well when I was shopping MC, he laid back and no BS. I'd recommend those guys to anyone looking at MC.

I know PowerBoatsNW bailed on their lease in the building off I-5, I think they had over 2 years left on it. I have heard they have been having financial trouble.

I just drove by Cope and saw that about 60% of their boats have been moved. I had no idea what was going on.

I heard the same thing about them looking for another service location in the south bay. Theres not alot of room for service there and they needed more room. They have a few month backlog of service during the summer so I cant see why they would stop that. But you never know in this crazy economy.

You guys where right.... damn you W.W.

If anyone knows of anyone needing help in business or sales please let me know... hell I'll even walk dogs at this point

I lost my job today with four others Ultimate water sports as a tech sparks nevada cope store also layed everyone off Reno Nv. 49 years old never lost a job. I left a major auto dealership as a master tech for this Job I would have been their a year the 14 of this month. all dealership are not hiring. they are cutting back. times are very hard especially when you have these kind of company's out their we are in the middle of the winterizing season. booked solid with appointments. I don't understand what kind of company would bail out for least two months. their is so much money to be made Joe

Joe, at least if you can't find a job, it sounds like you could just make your own. Somebody has to fill that void for service...

Joe did they close the service shop completely and also the copes store where they sale the boats and boards??

So in all, which Copes/Ultimate locations are confirmed closed?

I think they still have a Copes in Rocklin and an Ultimate in Rancho Cordova.

Sorry to hear that Myke. Have you called Norcal? You're a good guy, you would fit right in.

Bummer Myke... Good luck brotha. You'd be a natural at NorCal for sure.

So Santa Clara is done... no more?

Bummer Myke. Keep your head up.

Just as I told Anthony.. things always have a way of working out.

No Santa Clara is still open but only has one guy there

Good luck Myke ! I hope things work out for you. Norcal or any other shop would be lucky to have you.

Thanks everyone.. it will all work out..

Norcal now has just their winter staff so that won't work...

Walt are you coming out here this weekend?? Need an assistant lol

Hey Myke. Good luck to you and the other Cope / UWS guys. Hope you guys find work soon. I drove by UWS in Livermore the other day and the gate was open. Are they closing it completely soon? What's the story over there?

Thanks Dave!

Right now everyone has been let go except for 1 employee to keep the store open at the moment... From what I have heard is that they are closing some stores for good and trying to keep 5 open if all their plans go through. The future of them should be known within the next 2 weeks.

Who knows maybe I'll end up back there...

One employee to keep the store open in Reno Nevada that includes boarders paradise.

Ahem there happens to be two of us, Just because Atticus dose not collect a check does not mean he is any less of an employee.

Any word if the Renton service dept is staying open or have they closed as well?

Last I heard they were open...... as of the day I started this thread, Sept 23rd. I suspect their days are numbered.

I heard that all of Copes Malibu's are getting taken this week. Anybody know if this is true?

(Message edited by polarbill on October 14, 2008)

anybody know a website i can look for some leftover centurion boats from this place

Ultimate, in Rohnert Park, has been closed for awhile. The inventory has slowly been disappearing...These are warning signs of hard times to come.

I heard this news today too. Our economy truly is not doing well. I am stopping by UWS in livermore friday to say hi to there two employees. Unfortunate thing is that bussiness will pick up someday and all the good employees will be gone. Dog bones and drinks for what employee's are left over there.

I heard their Rocklin property is for sale and I have not been able to get ahold of UW Rancho Cordova for some items I need for my boat. Does anyone have any more info??

wow...sellin property now.

They got to big And no one wants property right now so i think is going to be a thing of the past for them. I know that they lost all of the atv that they use to sell

Greg Taylor- I don't think Ski dog's closed did they?? They've been in Auburn forever.

Rohnert Park Ultimate is all closed up al all boats, are GONE............

Ski Dog's has been gone for several months. The new Tige dealer is on Lake Union.

Ski Dog's was done around April/May of this year. I had my Tige' serviced there in April and it was real close to being closed. he tried to sell it, but I think just closed the doors. New Tige' dealer in Seattle has a couple of his 07's and -08's still I think for steal prices.

Unless the new tige dealer has some real financial backing they will be out of business soon as well.

I met a few of Sport Boat North West's (new Tige dealer in WA)sales staff at the Tige Pro Am in Portland a few months ago - really awesome guys! They were getting ready to move into their new dealership on the water on Westlake Ave. Sounded like a beautiful location!

Sounds like a ridiculously expensive place. They must of brought in some new salesmen because I wouldn't think the ones that worked there before had any knowledge of wakeboard boats. I talked with the guys at the Riveria Yacht Dealer that is right by them and they said it was crazy expensive to be down on lake union. I just think it was a terrible time to increase your overhead 200% or whatever it is. I don't see the NW boat market getting back to normal for a couple more years.

Sport Boat Northwest moved into the showroom that Lake Union Searay moved out of (they relocated to the other side of lk union.) One of the guys that worked at SkiDogs (Brady)is now at SBNW and is their "Tige guy". SkiDogs closed but a few of his boats ('07 RZ2's) weren't elegible for buybacks (too many hours).. so he has been trying to sell them on craigslist for cost (or less than cost.) SportBoat Northwest got a few of SkiDog's boats and they closed then out (they are still trying to get rid of an 08 24ve that's been sitting around.) Basically the Tige market is shot around here for a bit... anyone who wanted one picked one up for steal over the past 8 months. I asked the new dealer how much they wanted for a 09 RZ2 and they quoted me $78K.. CRAZY.(it was lime green and the wife liked the color).. the next day I went over to Bakes and fell in love with Malibu... took my new 08 23LSV home 2 days later... couldn't be happier! (and saved a lot of money... who would think buying a bigger Malibu over a smaller Tige would save you money!)

(Message edited by gregtay on October 31, 2008)

Greg, Have you not moved on from the Tige experience yet? Your tried to buy the most run down left over stock boat that the old dealer had left. And yes you did buy a sweet boat, I'm sure none of the local boat dealers are having a record setting fall with the economy. Sportboats is full of Tige's being serviced right now which will keep them afloat for awhile. Tige is only getting better every year.

any more on the california stores. I know that they are closeing Fast what do you guy think will happen. I think there time is comeing to an end. We are just geting a first rain in cal so the session my be over

Greg, did you buy your boat from Bret? He is my roommate.

Greg if you don't mind me asking, what did you pay for your 08 23 LSV?

Yeap... Bret hooked us up. He took very good care of us. It was nice ot know that the guy who was selling us our 'bu really knew how to use the boat. Hopefully we will see you and Bret out on the lake next year. (I think this weekend offically ended our season.)

(Message edited by gregtay on November 01, 2008)

BTW.. I went by the woodinville Copes store and the place is a ghost town.. not a single boat left... it's just an empty lot.

Yea, I talked to John (the mgr from Woodinville) a couple weeks ago. He's been looking for a new job since Frank (Cope) showed up there back in Sept & gave him his walkin papers.

Good call on the LSV anyway. Bet you can't wait till spring.

The big store in Rocklin where they had the Boarder's Paradise part is definitely closed now. They've got everything crammed into the small store across the street where they used to just have the fishing boats.

Reno is still open for now but I heard they lost there ski-doos which is what helps them stay a float during the winter. My biggest problem is I have warranty issues on my board and binding from liquid force and don't want to take it there becasue they may not be open by the time it comes back from Liquid Force. Not sure what I am going to do with that yet.

Thats strange about Copes. They have a huge place down in Sumner that you can see off of Hwy 167. Not sure if it is just a warehouse or sales too.

It was sales also but the lights have been off for over 3 weeks.

Well i drive by the fairfield store and i look like it all closed up no light on and no one to let you in the stores. Well that what happens when you get to big so fast let me know what more you might know

The Sumner store was a Sales office. I worked as a salesmen at the Renton store. They didn't renew the lease there so they had to find a place in a hury so they moved down to Sumner. In my opinion that is a terrible location for a boat place.