By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
A couple of things have Chuck Wimberley revved up about this weekend's grand opening of the Fun Center across M-51 from C Wimberley Ford in the former Encore Performing Arts Center.
The only dancing going on Friday afternoon were the eyes of men streaming in and out of the new store to ogle the shiny choppers, all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes, trailers, go-carts and golf carts arrayed on the distinctive Chattahootchie stone floor.
Wimberley's own pulse races with his passion for motorcycles, which he's been riding for 25 years.
Another is the business potential.
Gleaming Harley-Davidson, Saxon, Pitbull and Legends, the machines handcrafted for Troy Treat in Edwardsburg, waited expectantly.
Wimberley even constructed a new building behind CW Motorsports to house a service department opening June 1.
While the column of golf carts appears to be the tortoise destined to lose the race to rabbit-quick custom choppers, there's no matching the speed with which they disappear from Dowagiac.
Wimberley said Dowagiac is blessed with a destination-sized clump of car dealers in one spot, and they intend to make more of a concerted effort to court customers to their version of Mishawaka, Ind.'s, Miracle Motor Mile
working cooperatively with C Wimberley's Chevy store, Dan Leversen's Heartland Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Louie Dominion's Deals on Wheels to promote "M-51 Auto Row."
While central business district restaurants frequently merit mention, the convergence of car dealerships is often overlooked, although they probably send a fair share of diners downtown to Wood Fire, Zeke's or Round Oak when visitors ask for a meal recommendation instead of a wheel recommendation.
When Wimberley came on the scene in the 1980s, Pat Abiney and Charlie Gratz were at the south edge of town, and Art Springsteen's Sons was still on the north side.
To contact the Fun Center, call C Wimberley at 782-2151.
Fun Center hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.