King of the (Harley) World

Texas and Arizona auto dealer Bert King bought a Charlotte County Harley-Davidson dealership last summer and quickly infused it with a strategy to make it a club-like destination. Strategy components, for what he renamed Bert's Black Widow, include kegs of free beer and bikini-clad girls.

Now King will bring his brand to St. Petersburg, with Bert's Barracuda Harley-Davidson, at 2805 54th Ave. N. King bought the dealership, formerly known as Jim's Harley-Davidson, Aug 19. He bought it from Jamie Lou Rosenkrans, a retired schoolteacher and widow, who ran the dealership for years with her husband, Jim Rosenkrans. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

King says he wasn't looking to expand. But he and Rosenkrans became friendly through the Harley-Davidson ownership network. Rosenkrans, seeking to retire, sought out King before she even listed the dealership for sale. The deal then came together quickly.