Shepard Toyota Grand Reopening: What’s New at Our Thomaston Dealership

Shepard Toyota at 181 New County Road in Thomaston, ME 04861 has been renovated, and the Grand Reopening Open House on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM is your chance to walk through it. Here is the short version. The showroom is modern and more comfortable. The service experience has been expanded, with Toyota-trained technicians and a layout meant to make the whole visit smoother, from check-in to pickup. The building is also set up for where Toyota is headed: hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery electric vehicles.

Here is what stayed put. Shepard has been a family business since 1955, when brothers Prentis and Leroy Shepard opened a Buick dealership in Deer Isle. Second- and third-generation family members still help run the place day to day. The approach is the same one Midcoast Maine drivers have dealt with for over 70 years, just in a better building.

If you drive Route 1 through Thomaston, Rockland, or Rockport, you can stop in during business hours. The details are below.

What’s Different Inside the Building

The renovation covers five areas: the showroom, the customer experience, the service experience, the layout for everyday convenience, and readiness for future Toyota vehicles and technology. The showroom is the part you will notice first. It is a modern, welcoming space built for comparing Toyota cars, trucks, SUVs, hybrids, and electrified vehicles in one place.

The rest is about comfort and convenience. Browsing, waiting, and talking through a purchase should feel easier. That is the whole goal, and we would rather say it plainly than dress it up. None of it replaces a conversation with a real person, which is why the sales team is still the best place to start.

A renovated showroom does not change what is on the lot. For that, the inventory page is still the fastest way to check before you drive over. If you want a person instead, call 207-594-8424 and ask.

A Service Visit From Check-In to Pickup

The service side now offers an expanded experience, staffed by Toyota-trained technicians, with a facility designed to support a smoother visit from check-in to pickup. Service hours are 8 AM to 5 PM, and you can book online at the service scheduling page or by phone.

Midcoast driving is hard on a vehicle. Road salt, frost heaves, and March potholes are all part of the deal, and all of them are good reasons to have a Toyota looked at before something small turns into something expensive.

If all you need is service, you may never set foot in the showroom. That is fine. The renovation was meant to improve that visit as well as the one on the sales floor. When you book, tell us what you are hearing or feeling from the vehicle, so the technician starts with the right question instead of a blank page. Service closes at 5 PM, so plan your drop-off and pickup around that.

Ready for Hybrids, Plug-In Hybrids, and Battery Electrics

The renovated facility is set up for three kinds of electrified Toyota: hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric. A hybrid pairs a gasoline engine with an electric motor and a battery that recharges as you drive. A plug-in hybrid adds a larger battery you can charge from an outlet, so shorter trips can run on electricity before the gas engine takes over. A battery electric vehicle has no gas engine at all and runs only on its battery pack.

Toyota’s hybrid lineup includes models like the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, the Highlander Hybrid, and the Grand Highlander Hybrid.

Which type fits depends on your driving. A plug-in makes the most sense if you can charge at home. If you can’t, a standard hybrid is the simpler call, and a good salesperson should tell you that.

What Didn’t Change: A Family Dealership Since 1955

Shepard is still family-owned, and the story starts with two brothers. Prentis and Leroy Shepard of Stonington hauled granite from local quarries, and in 1955 they opened their first Buick dealership in Deer Isle. That was more than 70 years ago.

Today, second- and third-generation family members are involved in daily operations. The dealership’s own line for the project is “Built for Today. Ready for What Comes Next.” The part worth underlining is the second half of that sentence: the values behind the building have not moved, and neither has the personal way of doing business.

New floors and updated spaces are the easy part of a renovation. Keeping the same standards for how people are treated is the harder part, and it is the one customers will judge us on. You can read more about the family on our history page.

Part of the Midcoast Community

Shepard supports local organizations including Rockland Rotary, Rockland Kiwanis, Little League, and Oceanside High School, along with others around the area. The construction did not change that commitment.

One example worth knowing about: students in the Oceanside High School Life Skills program get hands-on workplace experience at the dealership. It is a practical way to help young people in the community see what a real workplace looks like.

Local business in the Midcoast works because people know each other, from Rockland and Thomaston to Rockport and Camden. A dealership that shows up for its neighbors is doing the job right, and the building is only one part of that.

Visiting the Grand Reopening

Shepard Toyota is at 181 New County Road (Route 1), Thomaston, ME 04861. Drivers coming from Camden, Rockport, Rockland, Waldoboro, and Warren all reach the dealership on Route 1.

The Grand Reopening Open House is Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, right here at 181 New County Road, Thomaston, ME 04861. Outside of the open house, sales is open 8 AM to 6 PM and service is open 8 AM to 5 PM. The main line for sales, service, and parts is 207-594-8424.

Come with questions. Ask about the showroom, ask about hybrid and plug-in options, and ask to see the service area if you want to know what a visit looks like before you book one. If you are thinking about a trade, ask about its value while you are there. If you would rather check hours or directions first, the contact page has both.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Shepard Toyota Grand Reopening?

The Grand Reopening Open House is Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM at 181 New County Road, Thomaston, ME 04861. Otherwise, the showroom and service department keep regular hours: sales from 8 AM to 6 PM and service from 8 AM to 5 PM. Call 207-594-8424 with any questions.

What changed at the renovated Shepard Toyota?

Shepard Toyota updated its showroom, its customer spaces, and its service experience, and prepared the facility for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric Toyotas. The ownership and the way the team treats customers stayed the same. It is still a family business.

Is Shepard Toyota still family-owned?

Yes. Brothers Prentis and Leroy Shepard opened their first dealership in Deer Isle in 1955, and second- and third-generation family members are involved in daily operations today. The family has been selling cars in Maine for more than 70 years.

Can I schedule service at the renovated dealership?

Yes. The service department has Toyota-trained technicians and takes appointments online at shepardtoyota.com/schedule-service or by phone at 207-594-8424. Service hours are 8 AM to 5 PM. If you can, book a morning slot and describe any noise or warning light when you schedule.

Is Shepard Toyota set up for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric Toyotas?

The dealership says its renovated facility is prepared for all three. To see which models are in stock right now, call 207-594-8424 or check the inventory page before you drive over.

Which Midcoast towns does Shepard Toyota serve?

Shepard Toyota is on Route 1 in Thomaston and serves drivers from Rockland, Rockport, Camden, Warren, Waldoboro, and the surrounding Midcoast Maine communities. If you are coming from farther out, call ahead so we can have a vehicle ready for you.

Come See It for Yourself

If you have driven past 181 New County Road lately and wondered what changed, pull in, and Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM is a good time to do it. Walk the showroom, ask about the hybrid and plug-in options, and if your Toyota is due for service, book it while you are here. We would rather you see the building than read about it.