The Manchester Enterprise
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
NAPA shop feeling heat of economy
Owners working to bring larger customer base to downtown area
By Daniel Lai, Editor
PUBLISHED: June 14, 2007
With the auto industry on the downturn, like most businesses that rely on the strength of the market, local NAPA Auto Parts owners Paul and Karen Mahrle are feeling the heat.
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"Business has been steady," Paul said. "It could be better. We'd like it to be a lot better."
Since taking over the store in 2005, the Mahrles said business has had a slow but steady decline.
"Business went up when we started, but it has gone flat since," Paul said. "A lot of people get their cars fixed or pick up whatever they need outside of town. That hurts the local merchants."
Mahrle, who previously held a job in purchasing for 17 years, said he wanted to try something new.
"There's been a NAPA store in Manchester since 1978. I just happened to stumble across a NAPA representative who was looking to have someone open the store in Manchester that closed, and six months later we opened," he said.
Mahrle said since taking over, he has tried to turn the store into a more "family friendly" atmosphere.
"We run it as a family," he said. "My son and daughter help out when they can," he said.
Mahrle's wife Karen also helps out with the day-to-day customers.
Owning a business in a smaller area is never easy, Mahrle said.
"I've lived here all my life, so I know a lot of the residents," he said. "Most people who come in are usually willing to wait a day for a part. Smaller town residents are usually more kind. The hard part is the amount of business you can get in a small town.
"If it's adequate to support the business, you stay open. We are keeping the doors open, but we need a lot more (business) to justify staying here."
In order to attract a larger customer base, Mahrle said the store has broadened the number of products it offers.
"We've toyed with expanding it into the truck market, power sports equipment or even hardware," he said. "With any of that, you have to figure in how much money you have to invest and can you justify that investment with the amount of sales."
The store currently sells parts for cars, tractors, boats, RV's and some power sporting equipment.
"Though we're a small store, we have a decent stock," he said. "What we don't have, we can usually get the next day being so close to the warehouses in Detroit and Grand Rapids."
Mahrle said one of the biggest challenges the store has faced has been hiring qualified help.
"When people come in, they are looking for specific answers to their questions," he said. "I haven't had any luck finding those people who can answer specifics. We've had a hard time just finding someone who can cover the regular store hours."
Karen said for the most part, her husband handles a large portion of the customer service.
"He is here 60 to 70 hours a week," she said. "If we could get someone here, Paul could go out and do sales and calls and other stuff to bring the customers into our store."
Paul said knowing what he knows now, he wouldn't have accepted the offer to run the store in 2005.
"I probably wouldn't have jumped on it," he said. "Or if I did, I might have put it somewhere else."
Mahrle said he is considering extending his store's hours to cater to customers who work outside the village during the day.
"We're already open till 6 p.m.," he said. "How long does it take to get people to notice that you are there, and can you justify that?"
Mahrle said he is open to any suggestion from customers.
"We're a retail store and we're here to serve the customer," he said.
NAPA Auto Parts on West Main Street is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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