CarLotz, a consignment store for vehicles serving the sale-by-owner and corporate vehicle markets, announced the opening of its first store in Charlotte, N.C.

Along with the location being first in the Tar Heel State, the store located at 6501 East Independence Blvd. in the heart of what the company called “Charlotte’s largest auto mile” also is the fifth retail location in the CarLotz network.

“We’re thrilled to bring our unique retail experience to the Charlotte market," CarLotz chief executive officer Michael Bor said. “Since launching CarLotz in 2011, we have opened four locations throughout Virginia to support our growth, and we have seen increasing demand from consumer and corporate sellers in North Carolina.

“Charlotte is an incredibly vibrant car market, and our service will allow sellers to get what their car is really worth, avoiding the hassles and low-ball offers frequently associated with selling a vehicle,” Bor continued.

“We are excited to get our start in Charlotte on Independence Boulevard and hope to eventually have multiple stores in the area as awareness of our service grows,” he went on to say. “In fact, we are already preparing for the opening of an additional location in Greensboro.”

The company indicated the Charlotte store will have room for 100 consigned vehicles and will hire five to six full-time associates.

“After working in the automotive retail industry in Charlotte for over 10 years, I realized CarLotz had a unique business model that was delivering a compelling outcome for vehicle sellers, and I wanted to be a part of building something special here,” said Michael FitzPatrick, the company’s market leader in Charlotte.

“Our sellers routinely come to us frustrated by low-ball offers for their cars and exhausted by the hassles that come with selling a vehicle,” FitzPatrick continued. “I love that we can deliver a comfortable experience that gets them what their car is worth. Who wouldn’t want thousands more for their vehicle without the hassle of doing it themselves?

“Also, having experienced high-pressure sales environments at traditional dealerships, I think car buyers will love the non-commissioned, transparent pricing model at CarLotz,” he went on to say. “Our sellers typically price well below retail and make all sales decisions anonymously through our team, so you don’t get uncomfortable, conflict-inducing negotiations here, just a helpful service associate that will guide you through the car buying process. It’s a win-win for buyer and seller.”

While already open for business, CarLotz indicated that following the completion of its landscaping upgrades the company will host a formal grand opening sometime in the second quarter.