New shop comin... POSSIBLY!!

[Low4Life]

aight here's the deal. a guy i know, sorta a friend of the family, is thinkin bout relocating his shop from va beach to here (richmond area). don't ask me why or whatever. as for the shop it's basically an import shop but he also does regular maitinence. such as oil changes, tune ups, etc. you know stuff like that. he does everything from installin turbos to puttin on body kits. so needless to say he does it all. also he has a paint shop so if you need something painted he can do it. here's a link to his site for more info on what they can do for you... ICAR (http://www.icar-racing.com) ... also he says he's got guys that'll be comin up with him that specialize in turbos. so on to what i need from you guys. he wants to know if there is a place here for another import shop. so what do y'all think? i told him yea cuz there's not that many here as there are down there. also if you could help me find a nice shop (building) with a pretty big parkin lot that he could rent out i would appreciate it. also he says he should be up here in bout 2-3 months if everything goes well. also i put up a poll to keep track. i think that's bout it, i'll update as i get the info. Thanks guys.

BTW- also if you vote on the poll, please post that you did. and if you vote no, please explain why not. thanks

[bigroy80]

i think there is plenty of room if he can make a good name for himself. word spreads fast about shops for instance theres shops where people come from all over to go to and then theres some were people dont even go to when its in there own town. if he does good work and doesnt bull**** then of course.

[Low4Life]

yea he's very good. i've worked with him before. he works till really late at nite and also on the weekends. and when i say late i'm talkin around midnite or so. he is always at the shop workin his ass off. and he will work with you and try and get the best deal for you that he can. and when you talk to him it's like talkin to a friend you've known for years. also if he does come up here then i'll probly be workin with him some.

[lostalgic-s]

I drive by his shop in Va Beach just about every time I go to U-Wrench-It right down the road. I've seen imports there, but had no idea there was an "official" import shop there, and haven't heard anything about it from anybody I know. If he's moving to Richmond due to lack of business, I can understand why, the location of his VA Beach shop isn't good, and I haven't heard or seen any advertisement of any kind about that shop.

[Low4Life]

actually he's not at that location anymore. right now he's near blue horseshoe tattoo. i'm not really sure why he's relocating all i know is that the landlord said his facility can't handle all the cars in the parking lot anymore and he (my friend) said he wants to move to this area anyway. but yea his brother has a shop also, AutoSolution, maybe you heard of it. but yea his biggest and only advertisement is word of mouth, which has actually done really well for him. but when/if he gets up here he's gonna have to do some kind of advertisement jus to get his name out there.

[lostalgic-s]

True. AutoSolution I've heard of, or at least seen of, for about a month, I would almost always be driving onto the base next to a red turbo'd Integra done by them, in fact, I saw it today.

[Low4Life]

really?? if it's the same turbo'd integra i'm thinkin of they've had that thing in the shop for nearly two years. it was there when i was down there. the only reason it was in there for so long was cuz the owner was slow on payments. but yea they do some nice work and really know what they're doin. i learned so much jus talkin the guys who worked there.

[scsilverado]

the problem with shops in richmond is no one here wants to spend money unless it is tv's and 24's. i used to work at a couple of shops here in richmond and all we did was tint jobs, wheels and tv's. and the guy that worked there was awsome just nobody wanted to spend the money and if they did they got john hope to do it. just my 2 cents. i in all honesty don't see why it wouldn't work. he would just have to realize that there is alot of competition out here and in richmond people care about saving a $ and not the job they get for it

[Low4Life]

yea i see what you're sayin. but as far as the competition i don't think it's nearly as competitive here as it is down in va beach. but yea there are a few people out there that get other stuff done besides cosmetic stuff. but i don't really think he's that expensive i mean he has tons of repeat and new customers. but yea if he comes up here and people find out that they can trust him then he will do jus fine.

[Low4Life]

ok i talked to the guy today. he said he found a shop off meadowbridge rd and he's gonna sign the lease friday. and he should be movin in may 1st. he also told that when he gets settled that i'ma be the guy that orders all the parts and whatnot for the shop. so stop by sometime and maybe i can get ya a good deal :D . but yea i'll update more as i get more info.

[fi istaylo]

dude...see if u can get me a job for bein a parts biatch...lol...

[Low4Life]

you serious? cuz i'll ask him if you are. i'm not sure if he'll need you or not, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

[fi istaylo]

hell yea ask...ill be good for at least a month and a half until i either move to wburg...or talk to bens gpa about movin in there...either way...i want the job...hell, maybe even some intalls too

[Low4Life]

aight i jus wanted to make sure. but i'll ask him next time i talk to him. but yea you could live in the den or pool room or whatever you call it at bens, lol.

[fi istaylo]

haha...i 'have' a room upstairs...its empty right now...but yea dude...definately talk to him for me, or let me know when hes gonna be back up before it opens...and well go up there...i know i could help set up shop, build displays and stuff for the shop...im skilled...lol

[Low4Life]

yea actually he's gonna be up here friday to sign the lease. but i'm sure he'll be up more after that. and i'm sure he'll need some help settin up. so i'll ask him bout helpin set up too.

[scsilverado]

cool best of luck to him. i hope everything works out for him. he should look into getting a vendor spot at ecn that would help buisness out alot. maybe get some of his work up from va beach to show what he can do. let me know i will slide by the shop and check it out one day

scott
www.subcultureworldwyd.net
www.eastcoastnationals.com

[Low4Life]

aight cool. i'll be sure to talk to him bout gettin a vendor spot. i agree that it would be a good idea too.

[Immortal]

Where at? I live right at Meadowbridge and Shady Grove.

[Low4Life]

i think it's called industrial rd. i dunno he said it's by a junkyard i think

[Immortal]

i think it's called industrial rd. i dunno he said it's by a junkyard i think

Is it still in Mechanicsville?

If it is, I just looked on Yahoo Maps and I know exactly where it is. It's right by Al's junkyard, if you know where that is..

[Low4Life]

yea i think that's it. that sounds bout right.