Brownie’s Independent Transmission shops
• 1901 N. Main St., Dayton
• 5932 N. Dixie Drive, Harrison Twp
• 1110 E. Dorothy Lane, Kettering
• 4794 S. Dixie Drive, Moraine
• 3490 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek
After an electrical fire tore through the North Main Street Brownie’s Independent Transmission shop two days before Christmas last year, shop owner Bob Lowry had a decision to make.
Pocket the insurance money and concentrate on his four other local transmission shops? Or reinvest in the business at 1901 N. Main?
Lowry, a mechanical engineer and an Ohio State University MBA, chose to reinvest.
Lowry, 63, said Wednesday July 1 he will remodel the North Main shop, repairing a long gash in the shop’s roof and investing some $40,000 into the building.
With fewer people buying new vehicles these days and hanging on to current rides longer, this is no time to back away from auto maintenance, Lowry believes.
What some call the “Great Recession” has certainly been challenging — Lowry acknowledges that revenue has been flat — but he thinks careful auto maintenance makes perfect sense in this economy.
“It’s cheaper than a new car payment,” he said.
Angie Wilson, spokeswoman for the Bedford, Texas-based Automotive Service Association, an advocacy group for auto service businesses, agrees. While the strength (or weakness) of a local economy plays a key role in how any business weathers a recession, Wilson said many members are telling the ASA they’re seeing larger repair orders.
“Many of them are saying they’re maintaining or even seeing an increase, in some cases, in their business, and the common denominator tends to be consumers are keeping their cars longer,” Wilson said.
According to ASA’s 2008 annual survey (the organization’s most recent), 51 percent of respondents saw an increase in business that year, while 61 percent saw growth in their customer base.
What remains to be seen is what impact the “cash for clunkers” law has: Until Nov. 1, owners of older gas guzzlers who trade in for newer cars that meet certain mileage requirements could get up to $4,500 from the federal government.
Lowry has 25 employees total, and each technician has close to 20 years experience, he said. He expects them to stay current through education, tapping Sinclair courses where possible.
Said Lowry: “Our secret to staying in business is: I surround myself with good quality technicians.”
He said his shops probably “touch, look at, service” about 125 vehicles a week. Fifteen percent of cars brought to his shops end up with a rebuilt transmission, he said, adding that each shop can also perform tune-ups, brake work and more.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2390 or tgnau@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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