16 • June 2025 • Powersports Business www. PowersportsBusiness. com
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Located in northwestern South Carolina, Foothills sits near the Saluda River, where it is surrounded by diverse waterways and off-road trails.
South Carolina dealership puts loyalty at the forefront with customers and employees
BY CHRIS OFFICER ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Located in the northwestern part of South Carolina, just outside of Greenville, Foothills Motorsports has been operating in the Upcountry since 1972, but took on new ownership 23 years ago. How that new ownership came about was a little bit of a happenstance.
Back in 2002, Foothills’ current owner, Steve Crowe, wasn’ t in the powersports business. The former star basketball player at Presbyterian College in nearby Clinton,
South Carolina, owned a Swagelok valve sales and service center.
Meanwhile, the previous owners of Foothills were getting out of the powersports business and looking to sell the dealership. On the other hand, Crowe’ s son Eric— who is currently the sales manager at
Foothills— was just getting into motocross, and he and his dad went to the dealership looking to buy a bike. What happened after that … well, let’ s say Steve came out with a little more than a motocross bike.
“ Eric was getting into motocross, and one thing led to another, and Steve ended up buying the business,” recalls Jamie Willis, general manager of Foothills.“ You know what they say, if you’ re getting into racing, you better love it and you better live it.”
Now a proud owner of a powersports dealership— a truly unique experience for Steve— his first order of business was to hire someone in the industry. Willis, who at the
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