Abt expands Vehicle Technology Department to help customers

Abt unveils expanded Vehicle Technology Department to help customers upgrade cars, boats, RVs and motorcycles with innovations in audio, video, safety and more.

January, 2022

New showroom features sought-after ‘22 Ford Bronco with the latest tech, showcasing the exciting possibilities for modernizing the driving experience

GLENVIEW, Ill. – Glenview-based Abt Electronics has debuted an expanded, modernized Vehicle Technology Department that will enhance the retailer’s ability to provide top-notch products and service to customers who want to outfit their new and older vehicles with the latest innovations in entertainment, safety, comfort and more. The department serves all types of vehicles, including family vans and sedans, rare supercars, luxury RVs, boats, motorcycles and powersport vehicles such as ATVs.

Abt recently completed a major renovation of the department’s showroom, which included opening up the space, adding an improved sound room for customers to test speakers and enhancing the ability to showcase the latest technology while quickly adapting as new innovations are developed. Abt’s expert sales and installation team can help drivers add customized features such as audio upgrades, backup cameras, rear-seat video, in-dash navigation, satellite TV, hands-free Bluetooth, remote starts, keyless entry, radar detection, heated seats, window tinting and more.

These services are especially in demand now, as more consumers are electing to keep their cars for longer periods, according to Jon Abt, co-president of the retailer. “It’s difficult to get new cars these days, so a lot of people are choosing to upgrade their existing car with the same technology that a new car would have. Instead of spending $35,000 at a dealership, you can spend from $1,000 and up to give an old car the same features as those that are on the showroom floor,” he says.

This is known as OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Integration, a hot and growing category that is relatively new for Abt. The retailer also has added marine and powersport vehicles, such as motorcycles and ATVs, to its Vehicle Technology Department.

A centerpiece of the department’s redesigned showroom in the Glenview, Ill., store is a 2022 Bronco, Ford’s sought-after redesigned SUV, according to John Samp, Abt’s vehicle technology manager. It is impressively outfitted with audio, video and other features, to showcase some of the ways that Abt can help customers design and create a personalized driving experience. Samp adds that because technology is constantly evolving, the showroom was designed to be easily expanded and changed as new innovations come on the market. He says this will enable the department to stay relevant and be an industry leader for many years to come.

“We always strive to go above and beyond and meet the broad range of unique needs that today’s customers have,” Abt says. “That’s the idea behind our redesigned, experiential vehicle technology space, which I believe will take us to new heights in this important and competitive segment that is seeing enhanced demand.“

Abt Electronics was founded in 1936 when Jewel Abt loaned her husband Dave $800 to open a small electronics store in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Abt has grown to become the largest independent, single-store retailer of electronics, appliances and home goods in the country. This third-generation family-run business (now run by Dave and Jewel’s four grandchildren, Mike, Ricky, Jon and Billy, who share the title of co-president) is known for its award-winning customer service from its team of more than 1,700 expert staff members. Its Glenview, Ill.-based location boasts a 114,000 square-foot showroom on 37 acres. The entire facility, including its continually expanding state-of-the-art warehouse, totals over 450,000 square feet. The company has been recognized by the Chicago Tribune as one of the Top Large Workplaces in Chicago for ten consecutive years, taking the No. 1 position in 2016, 2012 and 2011. Abt has become an influencer on a national scale thanks to its thriving national ecommerce website where customers can receive advice and customer support through the site's live chat feature, email and toll-free phone number. Abt is known for being an eco-friendly business and has an award-winning green program that includes bio-diesel trucks, LED lights, a rooftop solar array, an irrigation system that uses renewable rainwater, and a generator that provides electricity for nine hours of the day. Abt also has an on-premises 30,000-square-foot recycling center that takes in over 8,500 tons of waste per year including 95 percent of the company’s own waste. In the center of the showroom is a beautiful atrium where customers gain access to its many boutique stores-within-a-store such as an Apple Boutique and a Connect Computer Store. For more information, visit www.Abt.com.

Charisse Barnachea, Mekky Media Relations
[email protected]
847-404-5216