St. Peters, Mo.--Businesses move everyday, but when there is no choice, it can present big risks along with great opportunities. That's what Gary Brown, owner of Gary Brown Automotive, said he discovered when he was informed last September that his rented shop of eight years would be torn down to make way for a development.
Brown and his brother, Buddy Brown, the shop's two technicians, say the news forced them to make quick decisions. Gary Brown's wife and co-owner, Pat Brown, who handles bookkeeping, customer service, and many details of the business, was also part of the decision making process.
Once they decided to relocate, finding a new lot and building turned out to be easier than anticipated, Gary Brown said. They put the word out about the need to move, and friends and relatives joined the search, he said.
One location surfaced almost immediately, an available muffler shop just a mile from their old location, which was not only the right size but offered better visibility from the road, Brown said.
The new shop has six bays, a better-situated office, and a spacious waiting room, Brown said, adding that the only bad thing about the location is that it is not as close to fast food restaurants as the old place. "Some customers like to get a meal while they wait for their car," he said.
Today, the operation consists of general maintenance and repair work on most makes and models, except for exotic foreign cars, and includes tire repair, balancing, and alignments.
The brothers said they have been in the service business since high school, first working in their father's Mobile station and later working at garages and car dealerships.
Buddy Brown said he has a penchant for working on classic cars and that some of that work finds its way into the garage occasionally. The brothers added that they service a few small, local fleets, in addition to an ever-expanding list of loyal local customers.
This time, Gary Brown said, he chose to buy the building and lot instead of renting it. He said he was surprised at the favorable interest rate and how easy it was to get the loan, given the sagging economy back in November.
He said he thinks this was his smartest move. Not only is his mortgage payment lower than prospective lease payment, he also knows there is little chance he'll have to move again unless it is his decision.
The Browns look back on the move and count both positive and negative aspects; however, they said it was done right overall.
One of the smartest things Gary Brown said he did was to send out bright yellow postcards to his customer list announcing the move so they could easily find him when their vehicle needed service next. One of his biggest disappointments was that the move took much longer than anticipated.
They closed the shop for a full week to make the move, Brown said, though they hadn't planned for it to take that long. Some friends and relatives helped with pickup trucks and borrowed trailers, along with the help of Rodney Sherman, owner of Budget Towing, who did most of the move themselves, he said.
One exception was their three two-post lifts. Those were pulled, moved and reinstalled by their local Rotary distributor, Earl Nation Inc., in Bridgeton, Mo., Brown said.
The Browns said they were surprised by the higher-than-estimated cost for a new sign. He noted that they painted the interior of the shop, too, something they had not planned to do, but found it important because they wanted to present a clean environment for customers.
"The pride that we take in the appearance of our shop should reflect the concern they have for our customers and their automotive needs," Pat Brown said.
City and state tax incentives were nonexistent, he said, which disappointed him because many larger companies easily get them.
After being in their new shop for several months, Brown said he is very upbeat about the experience. He is seeing a lot of new customers walk in, which he attributes to the visibility of the shop, as well as the fact that the former business had customers that were not aware that they had relocated. So he is getting some new customers by happenstance, he said, and also seeing most of his existing customers follow him.
Pat Brown said she feels their best source of advertisings is word of mouth from their satisfied customers.
Gary Brown also said that his customers are keeping their vehicles longer instead of getting new cars. He said he understands that is a factor of the slow economy and it ultimately helps his business.
The brothers agreed that one effect of the new shop to their bottom line is the fact that they have so much more usable space, pointing out that they can start work on another vehicle while parts are being delivered for one in another bay. That luxury allows them to dramatically increase the number of vehicles they can service each day, they said.
While new services are not in Gary Brown's current planning, he said he's hoping to add technicians in the future and expand shop hours, too, a convenience to customers who have busy schedules.
Brown said that if he was forced to move again, the only thing that wouldn't change is his desire to continue in business for himself.
"There's something about working for yourself," he said. "It's the best security in many ways. Our customers almost always end up being friends, too. We like that."
Looking down the road, Brown said that part of his plan to add more technicians would be to allow him to manage the business more and work it less, something he would like to do.
