Tucker Walser was raised in the automobile industry. His roots were Midwest sown, and his family taught him the importance of putting people first. Now, he is practicing those principles every day as the manager of Genesis of Kansas City.
“Buying a car can be fun. I mean, it should be fun. You're spending a lot of money on a car, and it should be a memorable experience for you,” he said. “When you buy a car, it's a reflection of who you are as a person. And Genesis, for a lot of people, makes them feel really good about themselves.”
From its foundations in Minnesota, the Walser Auto Group has always prioritized a customer-focused approach. Aligning with a like-minded brand and opening a footprint in Kansas City was the perfect opportunity to extend deeper into the Midwest. Walser’s oversight in the process has resulted in a very successful two years, something he credits to the leadership of his father, as well as the people he hired to help him run Genesis of Kansas City.
“Everyone was new here, a bunch of babies trying to figure out how to kind of breathe and exist,” he said. “I'm really happy with the people that I have on my team right now. I've learned that there's nothing more important for a business than the right people. It's a human endeavor.”
Leaving their temporary space in Overland Park behind, Genesis of Kansas City is ready to astonish its guests and new customers alike by welcoming them into their new home in Merriam, Kansas. As the excitement for the mid-September grand opening builds, Walser believes the luxurious vehicles and incredible staff combined with a state-of-the-art facility is the ideal recipe to establish Genesis as a competitor in the luxury vehicle space.
“It doesn't necessarily help that we're sandwiched between a U-Haul and McDonald's right now. So an image that represents the luxury of Genesis is going to be very impactful,” he said. “Genesis is such a new brand. A lot of people still have no idea what Genesis is. We wanted to be with the other dealers and really showcase Genesis, because it has only been a brand since 2017.”
While still working to bring familiarity, Genesis of Kansas City is setting itself apart from other brands by treating customers like family. They prioritize a conversation to get to know the needs of the consumer before moving onto a purchase.
“At the end of the day, everyone's gonna have their own preferences about what they like in a car. If someone really likes an Audi, great! Go buy an Audi. What we can do is captivate people by the way that we treat them and the level of experience that we provide. Hopefully, that can get more people driving Genesis,” he noted.
Walser and his team also have a special experience planned for their loyal guests, as a way of thanking them for believing in the product and not being deterred by their temporary location.
“We have a lot of people that we invited as VIP guests to our grand opening, who bought cars from us right off the bat. They've spread the word of mouth that this is a great place to buy a vehicle,” he shared. “It's not easy to be a guest sometimes, when you come in for service, and it's hard to get inside the service aisle. There's a level of gratitude I have for their patience, knowing it’s going to get a lot better once we get over there.”
A building to match the brand is a bold statement for the Walser Auto Group. They want Kansas City to know beyond a shadow of doubt that they are here to stay.
“A lot of people here have seen the brand come and go, and they're understandably concerned if we’re gonna be here for the long run,” he said. “The investment that we've made over there is proof that we are going to be here for a while and that we don't have any plans of going anywhere.”
Genesis of Kansas City's is celebrating the opening of its new location on September 17.
7226 W Frontage Road, Merriam, Kansas 66203
Photo details
Car: 2026 Genesis G90 3.5T e-SC Prestige Black Exterior
Model: Akta Patel
Clothing: Dear Society