Tesla gallery at NorthPark Center

[Bob Of Burleson]

By Terry Box
tbox@dallasnews.com

California-based Tesla Motors, the free-spirit builder of electric cars, will open its first “gallery” in Dallas on Friday at heavily traveled NorthPark Center.

The gallery, next door to a Bath & Body Works on the first level, can’t actually move any metal because the company has no franchised dealers in Texas and is prohibited by state law from selling its cars directly to the public.

Instead, the rectangular-shaped, 3,000-square foot gallery will serve as an “education center” of sorts, showing people how electric cars work and what is available from Tesla.

“We get a ton of foot traffic in the galleries and that builds awareness of the Tesla brand,” said Alexis Georgeson, a spokeswoman for Tesla. “Most people who come in aren’t there to buy a car. Part of this is just teaching people how simple it is to own this car.”

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