JB Burnett’s Concierge Store You’ll Want to Visit | Auto Collabs

TL;DR: Preston Automotive Group’s JB Burnett is about to open Ford’s first Signature 2.0 store—an open, barista-first, iPad-driven showroom where a 90-second finance loop replaces the “let me ask my manager” shuffle. His bet? The future of car buying isn’t online or in-store—it’s wherever the guest happens to be.

How He Got Here

JB started serving tables at 20 and was running his first dealership by 23. That quick climb taught him two things: brutal honesty (“I wouldn’t buy a car from me”) and constant evolution. A decade later, he’s leading multiple rooftops for Preston Automotive Group—and building a Ford prototype that feels more like an Apple Store than a waiting room.

He isn’t theorizing omnichannel. He’s building it.

The Signature 2.0 Experience

Walk in and you’re greeted by the barista bar—a coffee, not a clipboard. Conversations start there, not behind a desk. Advisors meet guests on iPads, moving with them instead of retreating to a tower. There are no cubicles, no monitors on stands—just open sight lines that connect sales, service, and trust.

Behind the scenes, a “guest prep” space keeps phones and paperwork off the floor so the showroom feels more like a lounge than a command center. It’s not décor—it’s choreography.

“Some people need eight hours,” JB said. “Others want the keys in eight minutes. The store should flex to both.”

The 90-Second Finance Loop

The heart of the model is speed without pressure. Using AutoFi tied to RouteOne, qualified deals return live lender options in about a minute and a half—right at the table. No disappearing acts, no waiting for a manager. The math happens in real time, and the guest stays in the story.

That shift turns what used to be tension into momentum—and momentum into trust.

Changing the Culture, Not Just the Floor

JB’s team has been iPad-first for two years, so tech won’t feel new. Ford and Lincoln’s guest-experience coaching now shapes language, tone, and pacing long before the ribbon cutting. The move eight miles to the new facility isn’t just a relocation—it’s a reset.

Every design cue signals: you belong here, and you’re being served—not sold.

Why It Matters

While the industry argues about online versus in-store, the best dealers are blending both. The modern store isn’t where transactions happen; it’s where confidence happens. Burnett’s version just gives that idea furniture, lighting, and espresso.

Physical retail isn’t dying—forgettable retail is.