Strasburg, Colo.--Getting in and out of a shop in the same day is what motorists have come to expect. A day's delay in getting a part makes that impossible. The co-owners of Plains Auto Parts & Service--Terry Stedillie and brothers Jeff Lasecke and Steve Lasecke--said they overcame that obstacle by adding a jobber store to their repair shop, 40 miles east of Denver.
The three owners now operate a Parts Plus Car Care Center that conducts general vehicle repairs and parts sales under a single roof. At the time of Parts & People's visit, the group marked its two-year anniversary since adding its parts business. They reflected on their many successes over that short time.
"The biggest reason for adding parts is that it always took a day to a day and a half to get them," said Jeff Lasecke, vice president of service. "It was intended to get cars in and out faster."
The addition of the parts store has increased customer satisfaction for repairs, while adding to the bottom line, Lasecke said, adding that that last May was their best month ever. During the initial two years, he said, sales have doubled and continue to rise as people discover they sell parts. "It's amazing how many people come in and say they didn't realize we were here."
Another benefit of adding the parts store is that parts can be purchased with a deeper discount, said Steve Lasecke, vice president of parts. "We buy right from the warehouse (T-K Distributors) and we pass along the savings to our customers," he said.
The retail price is the same as the installed price, Lasecke said, a strategy he gleaned from big-box retailer Pep Boys. He said that the pricing structure gives Plains an advantage over in-town competitors who have different prices for DIY (do it yourself) and DIFM (do it for me) customers.
Steve Lasecke said T-K Distributors, a Motorcraft and Parts Plus warehouse distributor in Denver and Salt Lake City, is the first call he makes when looking for parts. Although, he added, they purchase parts from other suppliers and franchise dealerships because of application, customer preference, and, most importantly, availability.
"If we're working on a car in the back, we have to get the part that day," Lasecke said. "That's why we work with so many vendors."
The shop employs two technicians and a light-duty installer/oil change technician, Lasecke said. To allow for the room needed for parts inventory and a retail showroom, the owners said they purchased the remaining portion of the building the shop was in.
Steve Lasecke said the 7,000-square-foot building is split down the middle, with half of it dedicated to an eight-bay service area. In the retail parts store, he said he stocks his fast-moving items such as filters and brake hardware.
When opening the store, Lasecke said they didn't expect to sell many agricultural filters. He said he attributes that business to the work his Wix filter representative conducts with nearby farms. The Wix rep surveys farm equipment and puts together an application booklet for farmers, he said, then the store services them.
"They have very good coverage," Lasecke said of Wix. "There were only two filters in two years that we couldn't cover because they were new applications." Agricultural business adds up, he said, bringing in as much as $4,000 a year in sales.
In addition to selling agricultural parts, Lasecke said the shop works on tractors and farm implements. "Out here, we get a lot of weird stuff," he said. "We service the customer's needs, regardless of what it may be."
This 'can do' attitude has resulted in a loyal customer base over the years, Jeff Lasecke said, adding that the majority of business is from repeat customers and word-of-mouth.
Plains participates in and hosts local events, such as the recent Hawaiian Cruise Classic Car Show on July 3-4 in Byers, Colo., said Theresa Lasecke, bookkeeper and treasurer, who is married to Jeff Lasecke. That is how they spread the word about the shop and parts store, she said, adding that last year's event drew more than 100 cars.
Although the parts and service operations are under one roof today, Jeff Lasecke said he eventually plans on separating them as the business expands. He said he foresees a move to accommodate an increase in service business.
