Harley-Davidson of Pensacola has been attracting customers for 22 years with their variety of too-cool bikes, but their showroom has never looked better — not to mention brighter — with new LED lighting.

It all started with the owner, Courtney Pereira, looking to liven up his business at the end of 2012.

“We wanted to upgrade the store. We didn’t have to do it, but we wanted to make some improvements to make the store more customer-friendly and brighter,” Pereira said. “If you have a well-lit store people will shop longer.”

So Pereira called the energy experts at Gulf Power who work with business owners to analyze their energy use including the type of efficient lighting they need.

“I’m open to new ideas, especially if we can save a bit of energy. When the Gulf Power folks initially visited, everything they told us made sense,” Pereira said. “We worked with a few people who were all very helpful. I did a lot of research on my own, but Gulf Power verified all of my research and added a lot to it.”

The energy-efficient lighting installation at Harley-Davidson resulted in a 13,356-watt reduction for the business, which equates to approximately $4,000 in savings annually.

“It was a substantial savings the very first month,” Pereira said.

LED lighting uses 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent lighting and lasts up to 50 times longer.

“There are a lot of encouraging reasons to go to LEDs over fluorescent. There’s no question it’s an energy-saving product — you get better light, less heat and they’re virtually maintenance-free,” said Natalie Smith, Gulf Power spokesperson. “So indirectly you also have air conditioning and maintenance savings.”

The business owner has been so pleased with his new showroom that he recently decided to retrofit his entire service department with LEDs as well.

“What a dramatic difference. Now the techs can see a whole lot better. Their workstations are so much brighter. It’s almost dazzling,” Pereira said. “This was a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned.”

To talk to a Gulf Power energy expert about how you can make your business more energy efficient, call 1-877-655-4001.

Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 436,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.”