History Part I
After spending the last 25 years in the retail paint industry helping other people build their businesses, I decided to finally open my own store. With all that experience, I really thought I knew everything to expect and planned for all the possibilities. After all, I had some great teachers along the way. My best teacher was Tony Forns, owner of Hikes Point Paint in Louisville, KY. We may have been on the opposite ends of many issues but we did share a desire to do the best job possible. Tony introduced me to a new type of owner/manager that I had never encountered before: he was hands on, from unloading trucks to delivering paint, even though he has 20 employees and three stores. He also encouraged and supported each of his employees to try new products and marketing techniques. Hikes Point Paint continues to be a model for me.
Owning your own business is the great American dream, but one I never thought was in my future. However, with encouragement from friends, contractors and co-workers, in December 2004 I celebrated my 50th birthday by quitting my job managing someone else’s store and opened my own. Allandale Painters Supply opened in January 2005. I planned for everything: financing, leases, vendor contracts, licenses, permits, more permits—even more permits.
The vendors made it very easy for me. It was the little things that created all the headaches. The phone company switched the fax line to the phone line and then cut off all the services inadvertently and did not know how to get them back on! Not the best situation for your opening week. I never would have guessed there were so many hurdles to jump just to put a sign on a building.
And the point of sale system was delivered piece by piece. I only learned six weeks later, when all the parts were finally delivered, that the hardware did not support the software, even though they were sold to me as a POS system by the same company!
Fortunately, January is a good time to open a new store and work out these problems. As strange as it sounds, my local competitors—Hill Country Paint, Clements Paint, and Republic Paint—all stopped by to lend their encouragement and support. They shared their experiences in opening stores, both the good and the bad. As independent paint dealers, we are obviously competing for much of the same business but we’re also friends and help each other out, including group purchasing to get better deals.
Deciding what paint brands to carry was easy for me. No other stores in the area were selling Devoe or Porter Paints. I worked for the Porter Paint Company for 12 years; Devoe was the oldest paint name in America. I was very familiar with both brands. My primary brush line was an easy decision as well. I went with Elder & Jenks for three reasons: it was the best brush on the market for the money, it is handmade in this country, and I was already the E&J sales rep for Texas.
I am grateful for the support I received from my competitors and vendors. In addition, contractors and former co-workers all stopped in to help. Special thanks go to John Ochoa, Dale Sapp and Sanders Gibbs, all of whom helped make the store look better and encouraged my venture.
On January 3, 2005, we opened the doors and celebrated one more person making his American dream come true.
