Automotive News - October 16, 2017 - Supplement - S18

18 | OCTOBER 16, 2017
L O S T P I N E S T O Y O TA , B A S T R O P, T E X A S

Gumbo is a hit with community
Lunches feed outreach,
social media efforts
Printed in Automotive News March 20, 2017

Laurence Iliff
liliff@crain.com

hen Carlos and Laurie Liriano
moved from Louisiana to the
heart of Texas, they brought
with them their taste for New
Orleans hospitality - and their gumbo recipes.
At Lost Pines Toyota, the dealership they
own in the small town of Bastrop, outside
Austin, the traditional Gumbo Friday gathering has gone from a small in-house event to a
pillar of its community outreach and social
media efforts.
The event started as a simple staff recognition party, with a couple of gallons of gumbo
to fete the team members of the month. But at
Laurie Liriano, left, and Lorraine Jackson of Toyota Financial Services serve up the gumbo.
the dealership's five-year anniversary celesome,'" she said. "We don't pressure anybody
bration last month, the gumbo output
to look at cars."
reached around 25 gallons and served more
But, "We have seen people just come in for
than 250 people.
Gumbo Friday and end up test driving things
Gumbo Friday, which now happens once
and buying things. No question."
every other month, has proved so popular
Brandon Dunham, the dealership's director
with customers that many schedule service
of digital marketing, said that a few vehicles
appointments to coincide with the occasion
are left in the showroom during Gumbo Friand wile away the time with a bowl of the
day, such as lifted pickups and new ofLouisiana stew. Vendors show up, too.
ferings such as the Toyota 86 coupe,
"It has become a community gaththe former Scion FR-S.
ering event that really has exposed
Gumbo Friday
"We pick vehicles that people
a large number of people in our
boosts dealership's
may not typically associate with
Texas community that have nevpresence in the
Toyota," Dunham said.
er had gumbo in the past," said
community and on
Gumbo is typically served from
Carlos Liriano, who was born in
social media.
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to accomCuba but moved to New Orleans
Russell Hawkins, left, with Lost Pines Toyota
modate people who have different
with his parents at age 9.
owner Carlos Liriano at a Gumbo Friday.
lunch breaks, and Carlos Liriano
Laurie Liriano cooks all of the
sell cars and service and parts."
typically serves as master of ceremogumbo herself, at home, with some
Gumbo Friday and other community
nies, noting employee work anniversaries
help from her husband. She typically starts
events also support Lost Pines' social media
and birthdays in addition to other items on
the roux - the base of the sauce - on Tuesefforts by showing real customers and neighthe day's agenda.
day and adds in vegetables and meat over the
bors interacting at the dealership, as opposed
At last month's Gumbo Friday, for example,
next two days. If it's seafood gumbo, the proto a generic advertising campaign.
Lost Pines Toyota and the Liriano Family
tein goes in on Friday so it's fresh.
"I really see us being involved in the comFoundation announced their support of a sixShe also serves the food herself so she can
munity as also providing us a tremendous
week tennis program for kids in keeping with
have maximum interaction with visitors,
amount of content for our social media presthe theme of promoting outdoor activities.
some of whom are regulars from the local seence in our community," he said. "We're usCarlos Liriano said Gumbo Friday and
nior center and others who are new to the
ing our own pictures, our own faces, our own
community support are baked into his busigathering, including service customers and
community."
ness model, creating a virtuous circle.
car shoppers.
"We're not going to post a picture from an
"Here's the thing: If I do not sell a car or ser"It's just feel-good, 'Hey we're in the middle
advertising agency in California," Liriano
vice a car or sell a part, I can't do any of this,"
of Texas, but we're from New Orleans and we
said. "It's just not going to work here." a
he said. "Building trust ultimately will help us
made some gumbo, and come on in and have

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