Friesen Ford

Friesen Ford

Building beyond the showroom

For automotive dealerships, the building is often the first customer interaction with the brand.

It needs to welcome visitors, support vehicle sales and provide efficient service operations, all while reflecting the values of the business itself. For Friesen Ford in Aurora, NE, the challenge was creating a facility that could meet Ford's dealership standards while maintaining a strong connection to the local community.

Working with Emsick Architects, Graham Construction and Varco Pruden™, Friesen Ford developed a new dealership designed around customer experience, operational performance and long-term growth. The completed facility provides a modern environment for vehicle sales and service while reinforcing the dealership's role as a longstanding community business.

Rather than viewing the project as a standard dealership, the team approached it as an opportunity to create a destination that reflects both the Ford brand and the character of central Nebraska.

Balancing brand standards and local identity

Automotive dealerships often follow highly structured corporate design requirements. While those standards help maintain consistency, they can sometimes limit opportunities for local expression.

For Friesen Ford, the objective was different. The building needed to meet Ford's image requirements while also creating a facility that felt connected to the community it serves.

The design incorporates contemporary materials and clean architectural lines associated with modern dealership facilities while introducing elements that create warmth and visual character. Large expanses of glass establish transparency between the showroom and exterior environment, allowing natural light to fill customer areas and creating visibility throughout the facility.

This emphasis on openness extends beyond appearance. The design supports a customer journey that feels intuitive and welcoming, helping visitors move comfortably between sales, service and administrative areas.

The result is a building that reflects a national brand without losing its local identity.

Designed around customer experience

Every aspect of the facility was planned around how customers and employees interact with the space.

The showroom provides a modern environment for vehicle displays and customer engagement while service operations are organized to support efficiency behind the scenes. Administrative functions are integrated into the overall layout, creating stronger connections among departments and improving daily workflows.

This coordination allows the dealership to serve customers more effectively while supporting the needs of employees responsible for sales, maintenance and service operations.

The flexibility of the structural system also allowed the project team to create open interior environments that can adapt as dealership needs evolve over time. Rather than designing solely for current operations, the building was developed with future growth and changing customer expectations in mind.

That approach reflects a key element of the Varco Pruden philosophy: understanding how a business operates and designing solutions around those realities.

A long-term investment in community

For Friesen Ford, the new facility represents more than an updated dealership.

It is an investment in customer relationships, employee experience and the future of the business.

The building creates a stronger platform for serving customers while providing a professional environment that supports daily operations. At the same time, it reinforces the dealership's presence within the community and its commitment to long-term growth.

The project also demonstrates how collaboration can transform a functional requirement into a meaningful business asset. Through close coordination among ownership, architect, builder and building system partners, the team delivered a facility tailored to Friesen Ford's specific goals rather than relying on a standardized solution.

That balance of performance, flexibility and identity is central to the Varco Pruden approach.

The completed dealership supports vehicle sales and service efficiently, but its value extends beyond operational metrics. It creates a place where customers feel welcome, employees can work effectively and the business can continue growing for years to come.