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Business & Tech

Audi Beverly Hills Opens With Glamour and Giving

The Beverly Hills branch of the car dealership donates $100,000 to the Beverly Hills Education Foundation as more than 1,200 people attend its opening night party.

Audi Beverly Hills held a grand-opening party Thursday evening, attracting a diverse crowd of more than 1,200 people, including Beverly Hills officials, local families and well-dressed models.

In one large room of the cavernous facility, adults enjoyed sushi, champagne and complimentary manicures. In another room, children and families sampled French fries, soft drinks and candy. All attendees got to view the new Audi S6, S7, S8 and allroad quattro models months in advance of their national debut.

In opening its eighth Los Angeles-area dealership, Audi decided to integrate with the community by making a to the nonprofit , which raises funds for staff and programs at all five schools. Audi presented the BHEF with the first of four planned $25,000 donations and confirmed its intentions to sponsor a safe-driving course at .

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“We thank Audi for their commitment to the BHEF and Beverly Hills students,” said BHEF President Annette Saleh. 

BHUSD Superintendent Gary Woods and all five members of the Board of Education attended the opening, as did representatives from BHEF and . Mayor Barry Brucker cut the ribbon opening the dealership, and Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen gave the keynote speech.

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The dealership is part of the Fletcher Jones family of 19 dealerships in California. Fletcher “Ted” Jones Jr., the owner of the family-owned company, grew up in Beverly Hills but now lives in Newport Beach.

The partnership with the education foundation came about through BHEF board member and El Rodeo parent Jeffrey Best, who handles events for Fletcher Jones through his event-planning business, Best Events.

“Ted [Fletcher] asked me for recommendations on how to be a good neighbor as he opened the dealership,” Best told Patch. “I recommended the BHEF, and set up meetings for him with BHEF and Mayor Brucker.”

Patrick Jones, Fletcher’s son, told Patch that the company’s donation to the BHEF was a way of showing commitment to Beverly Hills.

“With an up-and-coming brand, it is important to get into a community like Beverly Hills and show that we are here to stay,” he said. “The cooperation shown by the school district and the city could not have been greater.”

The dealership opened at adjacent locations at 8850 Wilshire Boulevard, the same spot where BMW Beverly Hills closed last year. It will offer new and pre-owned vehicles, as well as factory authorized services.

All Audi owners, regardless of their place of purchase, will also be offered complimentary car washes, according to a company statement.

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