Bristow Car Dealership Using Green Technology To Rebuild

Rick Wells, News On 6

BRISTOW, Oklahoma -- You've heard the expression "rising from the ashes." Well that's precisely what the owners of Bolin Ford in Bristow have done.

And they've done it in a unique way. By mid-summer, Bristow will be Oklahoma's only green car dealership.

A fire nearly destroyed the dealership three years ago.

8/21/2009 Related Story: Rebuilding Begins For Bristow's Bolin Ford

Kathy Wisotsky, the owner of Bolin Ford, said the fire started in the ceiling insulation and was devastating.

"I couldn't even get my purse," she said. "All those cars expoded on the showroom."

But they opened up the next day.

"My kid put a sign on the fence, get 'em while they're hot," Wisotsky said laughing.

She's a 3rd generation car dealer and wasn't about to let a fire kill the family business. She wanted to use as much green technology as was economically possible.

So she started at the top, putting a wind turbine on the sign.

"It'll supply electricity for my lights on the interior with a payout in four or five years," she said.

There will be solar ban glass to help keep temperatures constant and in the shop area, they are installing a radiant heating system.

"It's supposed to save at least 30 percent on heating," Wisotsky said.

There's a special exhaust system to safely remove carbon monoxide. They are installing special air curtains at many of the doors to limit heat and cooling losses.

"That will save me thousands of dollars," she said.

There are many other things too. Everything is designed to save energy and eventually keep costs down.

And the sales pitch? "It makes Fords a lot cheaper in Bristow."

Something she's keeping is the Ford sign damaged in the fire.

"I'm leaving it like that as a reminder of what it used to be," she said.

There is no firm completion date for all OF the work. But, they told Rick they should be open in the new building in a couple of months.