SEMA News—February 2014

Events
By Chad Simon

Kids Helping Kids

A $50 Raffle Ticket Could Win You an $80,000 Custom F-150 Charity Truck Built by Students

Instead of being auctioned like previous WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 off-road truck that was revealed at the 2013 SEMA Show is now available through a raffle at $50 per ticket.

	More than 20 SEMA-member manufacturers and students from the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC) teamed up for this year’s WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 project. The result is a 600+hp custom-built off-road machine that will be raffled off this spring to support three SEMA Cares charities.

“We thought we’d try something different this year,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA vice president of OEM and product development programs. “This year’s raffle truck will get a lot of promotion because it will be publicized in the Source Interlink Media [a build partner] magazines and bring more attention to SEMA Cares and its charities.”

The WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 was designed as a tribute to off-roaders, truck enthusiasts and aftermarket companies that have used WD-40 products over the past 60 years. The vehicle carries an estimated value (including parts and labor) of $80,000.

Built in the SEMA Garage

The Foose-inspired truck is the first vehicle to be built in the new, state-of-the-art SEMA Garage—a facility that allows SEMA-member companies to test and prototype parts, try its 3D modeling and printing and use its fullscale photo studio. Through a partnership with the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC), leading SEMA manufacturers spent two months working alongside students to install parts and equipment on the truck.

The project’s theme was “Kids Helping Kids,” where the teenage students from AXC helped to build the truck, and the proceeds raised from its raffle benefit the kids of three SEMA Cares charities—Childhelp, Victory Junction and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The custom vehicle is painted with BASF Onyx HD paint by LGE*CTS Motorsports and features a converted front Raptor suspension with Icon Vehicle Dynamics 3.0 coil-overs and upper uniball billet arms as well as ICON rear triple bypass shocks with Atlas 3.0+ leaf springs. Outfitted with Baja Forged front and rear bumpers by LGE*CTS Motorsports, the custom Ford F-150 also has a Boatec Raptor fiberglass hood, fenders and bed sides. The bed cage is equipped with Bulldog LED lighting and a Warn winch. AMP Research supplied and installed power running boards, bed steps and a tailgate extender to make it easy to get in and enjoy the Katzkin Leather interior and Clarion sound system installed by Audio Innovations.

The pickup also features a Whipple Supercharger, a Gale Banks Straight-Shot water/methanol injection system and a MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust system that, working together, provide the 6.2L V8 with more than 600 hp. The custom truck rests on Falken Wild Peak A/T 37x12.5R17 tires wrapped around 17x9-in. MHT Fuel Maverick wheels in a matte graphite finish.

Additional upgrades include HushMat automotive sound deadening and thermal insulation material; a Fuel-Tool fuel pump for the truck bed; Mag-Hytec rear differential covers; an Optima Batteries yellow-top battery; PowerBass speakers, subwoofers and a five-channel amplifier; and a Metra Electronics Turbo2 dash kit with HVAC controls, an amp kit and steering wheel controls.

“We’re trying to turn it over to the next generation,” Spagnola said. “Working alongside the manufacturers in the SEMA Garage gave the students firsthand knowledge of how to correctly install the products. The students actually did 90% of the work, and they got the benefit of developing relationships with some key manufacturers, so they’ve got someone to pass their resumes to when they get out of school.”

AXC—A Grassroots Institution

In the SEMA Garage, Dylan Evans from Icon Vehicle Dynamics shows the students how to properly install shocks.

The AXC program is relatively new; the first class of 14 students graduated last August, and 13 landed jobs upon graduation. Free to students, the two-year automotive program has been developed in collaboration with automotive business owners and classic-car enthusiasts from the Inland Valley outside of Los Angeles. The program allows students to gain the confidence and hands-on experience needed to enter the automotive industry, and it’s funded through the support of private donors and sustaining partners.

Eight students involved in the build attended the 2013 SEMA Show and participated in the WD-40/SEMA Cares press conference where the truck was introduced.

“It was a chance of a lifetime for them to work with a legend such as Chip Foose and the other manufacturers,” Spagnola said. “Every student was willing to work hard; many wanted to stay late to work on the truck. They went above and beyond their requirements for school.”

Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan from L&G Enterprises coordinated the project and helped recruit students from AXC. Contreras believes the experience is valuable because it shows the students how passionate the industry is about getting them involved.

	Alex Xydias (left) and Chip Foose showed up at the SEMA Garage to meet the students and mock up the initial designs for the truck.

“Manufacturers took time out of their day to help them, which showed how important students were to this project,” Contreras said. “Icon was there for a few days working with the students and showing them how to do suspension, because it’s not something they focus on in school, but it’s something they learned while they were here.”

Contreras and Spagnola describe AXC as a grassroots school that emphasizes instructors working side by side with students as opposed to sitting in a classroom and learning from a book.

This is the sixth vehicle that WD-40 Co. and SEMA Cares have teamed up to build, and it’s the fourth vehicle that Chip Foose has designed with them. To date, WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles have raised more than $575,000 for SEMA Cares charities.

How to Enter the Raffle

The drawing will take place May 30, 2014, at SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. Tickets will not be sold after April 30, 2014. Raffle tickets for the vehicle are available for purchase by calling 888-880-5057. Fax your entry form to 888-408-8857 or mail it to SEMA Cares Charity Truck Raffle, 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765. You may call the raffle hotline at 888-880-5057 to provide your name, address, phone number, credit-card number, credit-card security code and expiration date. Tickets may not be purchased on the website or by e-mail. Discounts are available for individuals purchasing multiple tickets, and the prize winner does not need to be present to win.

For complete details, visit www.wd40.com/truckraffle.

SEMA News—February 2014

Events
By Chad Simon

Kids Helping Kids

A $50 Raffle Ticket Could Win You an $80,000 Custom F-150 Charity Truck Built by Students

Instead of being auctioned like previous WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 off-road truck that was revealed at the 2013 SEMA Show is now available through a raffle at $50 per ticket.

	More than 20 SEMA-member manufacturers and students from the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC) teamed up for this year’s WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 project. The result is a 600+hp custom-built off-road machine that will be raffled off this spring to support three SEMA Cares charities.

“We thought we’d try something different this year,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA vice president of OEM and product development programs. “This year’s raffle truck will get a lot of promotion because it will be publicized in the Source Interlink Media [a build partner] magazines and bring more attention to SEMA Cares and its charities.”

The WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 was designed as a tribute to off-roaders, truck enthusiasts and aftermarket companies that have used WD-40 products over the past 60 years. The vehicle carries an estimated value (including parts and labor) of $80,000.

Built in the SEMA Garage

The Foose-inspired truck is the first vehicle to be built in the new, state-of-the-art SEMA Garage—a facility that allows SEMA-member companies to test and prototype parts, try its 3D modeling and printing and use its fullscale photo studio. Through a partnership with the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC), leading SEMA manufacturers spent two months working alongside students to install parts and equipment on the truck.

The project’s theme was “Kids Helping Kids,” where the teenage students from AXC helped to build the truck, and the proceeds raised from its raffle benefit the kids of three SEMA Cares charities—Childhelp, Victory Junction and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The custom vehicle is painted with BASF Onyx HD paint by LGE*CTS Motorsports and features a converted front Raptor suspension with Icon Vehicle Dynamics 3.0 coil-overs and upper uniball billet arms as well as ICON rear triple bypass shocks with Atlas 3.0+ leaf springs. Outfitted with Baja Forged front and rear bumpers by LGE*CTS Motorsports, the custom Ford F-150 also has a Boatec Raptor fiberglass hood, fenders and bed sides. The bed cage is equipped with Bulldog LED lighting and a Warn winch. AMP Research supplied and installed power running boards, bed steps and a tailgate extender to make it easy to get in and enjoy the Katzkin Leather interior and Clarion sound system installed by Audio Innovations.

The pickup also features a Whipple Supercharger, a Gale Banks Straight-Shot water/methanol injection system and a MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust system that, working together, provide the 6.2L V8 with more than 600 hp. The custom truck rests on Falken Wild Peak A/T 37x12.5R17 tires wrapped around 17x9-in. MHT Fuel Maverick wheels in a matte graphite finish.

Additional upgrades include HushMat automotive sound deadening and thermal insulation material; a Fuel-Tool fuel pump for the truck bed; Mag-Hytec rear differential covers; an Optima Batteries yellow-top battery; PowerBass speakers, subwoofers and a five-channel amplifier; and a Metra Electronics Turbo2 dash kit with HVAC controls, an amp kit and steering wheel controls.

“We’re trying to turn it over to the next generation,” Spagnola said. “Working alongside the manufacturers in the SEMA Garage gave the students firsthand knowledge of how to correctly install the products. The students actually did 90% of the work, and they got the benefit of developing relationships with some key manufacturers, so they’ve got someone to pass their resumes to when they get out of school.”

AXC—A Grassroots Institution

In the SEMA Garage, Dylan Evans from Icon Vehicle Dynamics shows the students how to properly install shocks.

The AXC program is relatively new; the first class of 14 students graduated last August, and 13 landed jobs upon graduation. Free to students, the two-year automotive program has been developed in collaboration with automotive business owners and classic-car enthusiasts from the Inland Valley outside of Los Angeles. The program allows students to gain the confidence and hands-on experience needed to enter the automotive industry, and it’s funded through the support of private donors and sustaining partners.

Eight students involved in the build attended the 2013 SEMA Show and participated in the WD-40/SEMA Cares press conference where the truck was introduced.

“It was a chance of a lifetime for them to work with a legend such as Chip Foose and the other manufacturers,” Spagnola said. “Every student was willing to work hard; many wanted to stay late to work on the truck. They went above and beyond their requirements for school.”

Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan from L&G Enterprises coordinated the project and helped recruit students from AXC. Contreras believes the experience is valuable because it shows the students how passionate the industry is about getting them involved.

	Alex Xydias (left) and Chip Foose showed up at the SEMA Garage to meet the students and mock up the initial designs for the truck.

“Manufacturers took time out of their day to help them, which showed how important students were to this project,” Contreras said. “Icon was there for a few days working with the students and showing them how to do suspension, because it’s not something they focus on in school, but it’s something they learned while they were here.”

Contreras and Spagnola describe AXC as a grassroots school that emphasizes instructors working side by side with students as opposed to sitting in a classroom and learning from a book.

This is the sixth vehicle that WD-40 Co. and SEMA Cares have teamed up to build, and it’s the fourth vehicle that Chip Foose has designed with them. To date, WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles have raised more than $575,000 for SEMA Cares charities.

How to Enter the Raffle

The drawing will take place May 30, 2014, at SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. Tickets will not be sold after April 30, 2014. Raffle tickets for the vehicle are available for purchase by calling 888-880-5057. Fax your entry form to 888-408-8857 or mail it to SEMA Cares Charity Truck Raffle, 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765. You may call the raffle hotline at 888-880-5057 to provide your name, address, phone number, credit-card number, credit-card security code and expiration date. Tickets may not be purchased on the website or by e-mail. Discounts are available for individuals purchasing multiple tickets, and the prize winner does not need to be present to win.

For complete details, visit www.wd40.com/truckraffle.

SEMA News—February 2014

Events
By Chad Simon

Kids Helping Kids

A $50 Raffle Ticket Could Win You an $80,000 Custom F-150 Charity Truck Built by Students

Instead of being auctioned like previous WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 off-road truck that was revealed at the 2013 SEMA Show is now available through a raffle at $50 per ticket.

	More than 20 SEMA-member manufacturers and students from the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC) teamed up for this year’s WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 project. The result is a 600+hp custom-built off-road machine that will be raffled off this spring to support three SEMA Cares charities.

“We thought we’d try something different this year,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA vice president of OEM and product development programs. “This year’s raffle truck will get a lot of promotion because it will be publicized in the Source Interlink Media [a build partner] magazines and bring more attention to SEMA Cares and its charities.”

The WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 was designed as a tribute to off-roaders, truck enthusiasts and aftermarket companies that have used WD-40 products over the past 60 years. The vehicle carries an estimated value (including parts and labor) of $80,000.

Built in the SEMA Garage

The Foose-inspired truck is the first vehicle to be built in the new, state-of-the-art SEMA Garage—a facility that allows SEMA-member companies to test and prototype parts, try its 3D modeling and printing and use its fullscale photo studio. Through a partnership with the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC), leading SEMA manufacturers spent two months working alongside students to install parts and equipment on the truck.

The project’s theme was “Kids Helping Kids,” where the teenage students from AXC helped to build the truck, and the proceeds raised from its raffle benefit the kids of three SEMA Cares charities—Childhelp, Victory Junction and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The custom vehicle is painted with BASF Onyx HD paint by LGE*CTS Motorsports and features a converted front Raptor suspension with Icon Vehicle Dynamics 3.0 coil-overs and upper uniball billet arms as well as ICON rear triple bypass shocks with Atlas 3.0+ leaf springs. Outfitted with Baja Forged front and rear bumpers by LGE*CTS Motorsports, the custom Ford F-150 also has a Boatec Raptor fiberglass hood, fenders and bed sides. The bed cage is equipped with Bulldog LED lighting and a Warn winch. AMP Research supplied and installed power running boards, bed steps and a tailgate extender to make it easy to get in and enjoy the Katzkin Leather interior and Clarion sound system installed by Audio Innovations.

The pickup also features a Whipple Supercharger, a Gale Banks Straight-Shot water/methanol injection system and a MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust system that, working together, provide the 6.2L V8 with more than 600 hp. The custom truck rests on Falken Wild Peak A/T 37x12.5R17 tires wrapped around 17x9-in. MHT Fuel Maverick wheels in a matte graphite finish.

Additional upgrades include HushMat automotive sound deadening and thermal insulation material; a Fuel-Tool fuel pump for the truck bed; Mag-Hytec rear differential covers; an Optima Batteries yellow-top battery; PowerBass speakers, subwoofers and a five-channel amplifier; and a Metra Electronics Turbo2 dash kit with HVAC controls, an amp kit and steering wheel controls.

“We’re trying to turn it over to the next generation,” Spagnola said. “Working alongside the manufacturers in the SEMA Garage gave the students firsthand knowledge of how to correctly install the products. The students actually did 90% of the work, and they got the benefit of developing relationships with some key manufacturers, so they’ve got someone to pass their resumes to when they get out of school.”

AXC—A Grassroots Institution

In the SEMA Garage, Dylan Evans from Icon Vehicle Dynamics shows the students how to properly install shocks.

The AXC program is relatively new; the first class of 14 students graduated last August, and 13 landed jobs upon graduation. Free to students, the two-year automotive program has been developed in collaboration with automotive business owners and classic-car enthusiasts from the Inland Valley outside of Los Angeles. The program allows students to gain the confidence and hands-on experience needed to enter the automotive industry, and it’s funded through the support of private donors and sustaining partners.

Eight students involved in the build attended the 2013 SEMA Show and participated in the WD-40/SEMA Cares press conference where the truck was introduced.

“It was a chance of a lifetime for them to work with a legend such as Chip Foose and the other manufacturers,” Spagnola said. “Every student was willing to work hard; many wanted to stay late to work on the truck. They went above and beyond their requirements for school.”

Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan from L&G Enterprises coordinated the project and helped recruit students from AXC. Contreras believes the experience is valuable because it shows the students how passionate the industry is about getting them involved.

	Alex Xydias (left) and Chip Foose showed up at the SEMA Garage to meet the students and mock up the initial designs for the truck.

“Manufacturers took time out of their day to help them, which showed how important students were to this project,” Contreras said. “Icon was there for a few days working with the students and showing them how to do suspension, because it’s not something they focus on in school, but it’s something they learned while they were here.”

Contreras and Spagnola describe AXC as a grassroots school that emphasizes instructors working side by side with students as opposed to sitting in a classroom and learning from a book.

This is the sixth vehicle that WD-40 Co. and SEMA Cares have teamed up to build, and it’s the fourth vehicle that Chip Foose has designed with them. To date, WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles have raised more than $575,000 for SEMA Cares charities.

How to Enter the Raffle

The drawing will take place May 30, 2014, at SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. Tickets will not be sold after April 30, 2014. Raffle tickets for the vehicle are available for purchase by calling 888-880-5057. Fax your entry form to 888-408-8857 or mail it to SEMA Cares Charity Truck Raffle, 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765. You may call the raffle hotline at 888-880-5057 to provide your name, address, phone number, credit-card number, credit-card security code and expiration date. Tickets may not be purchased on the website or by e-mail. Discounts are available for individuals purchasing multiple tickets, and the prize winner does not need to be present to win.

For complete details, visit www.wd40.com/truckraffle.

SEMA News—February 2014

Events
By Chad Simon

Kids Helping Kids

A $50 Raffle Ticket Could Win You an $80,000 Custom F-150 Charity Truck Built by Students

Instead of being auctioned like previous WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 off-road truck that was revealed at the 2013 SEMA Show is now available through a raffle at $50 per ticket.

	More than 20 SEMA-member manufacturers and students from the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC) teamed up for this year’s WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 project. The result is a 600+hp custom-built off-road machine that will be raffled off this spring to support three SEMA Cares charities.

“We thought we’d try something different this year,” said Mike Spagnola, SEMA vice president of OEM and product development programs. “This year’s raffle truck will get a lot of promotion because it will be publicized in the Source Interlink Media [a build partner] magazines and bring more attention to SEMA Cares and its charities.”

The WD-40/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 was designed as a tribute to off-roaders, truck enthusiasts and aftermarket companies that have used WD-40 products over the past 60 years. The vehicle carries an estimated value (including parts and labor) of $80,000.

Built in the SEMA Garage

The Foose-inspired truck is the first vehicle to be built in the new, state-of-the-art SEMA Garage—a facility that allows SEMA-member companies to test and prototype parts, try its 3D modeling and printing and use its fullscale photo studio. Through a partnership with the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC), leading SEMA manufacturers spent two months working alongside students to install parts and equipment on the truck.

The project’s theme was “Kids Helping Kids,” where the teenage students from AXC helped to build the truck, and the proceeds raised from its raffle benefit the kids of three SEMA Cares charities—Childhelp, Victory Junction and the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The custom vehicle is painted with BASF Onyx HD paint by LGE*CTS Motorsports and features a converted front Raptor suspension with Icon Vehicle Dynamics 3.0 coil-overs and upper uniball billet arms as well as ICON rear triple bypass shocks with Atlas 3.0+ leaf springs. Outfitted with Baja Forged front and rear bumpers by LGE*CTS Motorsports, the custom Ford F-150 also has a Boatec Raptor fiberglass hood, fenders and bed sides. The bed cage is equipped with Bulldog LED lighting and a Warn winch. AMP Research supplied and installed power running boards, bed steps and a tailgate extender to make it easy to get in and enjoy the Katzkin Leather interior and Clarion sound system installed by Audio Innovations.

The pickup also features a Whipple Supercharger, a Gale Banks Straight-Shot water/methanol injection system and a MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust system that, working together, provide the 6.2L V8 with more than 600 hp. The custom truck rests on Falken Wild Peak A/T 37x12.5R17 tires wrapped around 17x9-in. MHT Fuel Maverick wheels in a matte graphite finish.

Additional upgrades include HushMat automotive sound deadening and thermal insulation material; a Fuel-Tool fuel pump for the truck bed; Mag-Hytec rear differential covers; an Optima Batteries yellow-top battery; PowerBass speakers, subwoofers and a five-channel amplifier; and a Metra Electronics Turbo2 dash kit with HVAC controls, an amp kit and steering wheel controls.

“We’re trying to turn it over to the next generation,” Spagnola said. “Working alongside the manufacturers in the SEMA Garage gave the students firsthand knowledge of how to correctly install the products. The students actually did 90% of the work, and they got the benefit of developing relationships with some key manufacturers, so they’ve got someone to pass their resumes to when they get out of school.”

AXC—A Grassroots Institution

In the SEMA Garage, Dylan Evans from Icon Vehicle Dynamics shows the students how to properly install shocks.

The AXC program is relatively new; the first class of 14 students graduated last August, and 13 landed jobs upon graduation. Free to students, the two-year automotive program has been developed in collaboration with automotive business owners and classic-car enthusiasts from the Inland Valley outside of Los Angeles. The program allows students to gain the confidence and hands-on experience needed to enter the automotive industry, and it’s funded through the support of private donors and sustaining partners.

Eight students involved in the build attended the 2013 SEMA Show and participated in the WD-40/SEMA Cares press conference where the truck was introduced.

“It was a chance of a lifetime for them to work with a legend such as Chip Foose and the other manufacturers,” Spagnola said. “Every student was willing to work hard; many wanted to stay late to work on the truck. They went above and beyond their requirements for school.”

Theresa Contreras and Sara Morosan from L&G Enterprises coordinated the project and helped recruit students from AXC. Contreras believes the experience is valuable because it shows the students how passionate the industry is about getting them involved.

	Alex Xydias (left) and Chip Foose showed up at the SEMA Garage to meet the students and mock up the initial designs for the truck.

“Manufacturers took time out of their day to help them, which showed how important students were to this project,” Contreras said. “Icon was there for a few days working with the students and showing them how to do suspension, because it’s not something they focus on in school, but it’s something they learned while they were here.”

Contreras and Spagnola describe AXC as a grassroots school that emphasizes instructors working side by side with students as opposed to sitting in a classroom and learning from a book.

This is the sixth vehicle that WD-40 Co. and SEMA Cares have teamed up to build, and it’s the fourth vehicle that Chip Foose has designed with them. To date, WD-40/SEMA Cares vehicles have raised more than $575,000 for SEMA Cares charities.

How to Enter the Raffle

The drawing will take place May 30, 2014, at SEMA headquarters in Diamond Bar, California. Tickets will not be sold after April 30, 2014. Raffle tickets for the vehicle are available for purchase by calling 888-880-5057. Fax your entry form to 888-408-8857 or mail it to SEMA Cares Charity Truck Raffle, 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765. You may call the raffle hotline at 888-880-5057 to provide your name, address, phone number, credit-card number, credit-card security code and expiration date. Tickets may not be purchased on the website or by e-mail. Discounts are available for individuals purchasing multiple tickets, and the prize winner does not need to be present to win.

For complete details, visit www.wd40.com/truckraffle.

SEMA News—February 2014

BUSINESS
By Mike Imlay

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT: Kings Tire & Wheels Crowned by Service and Referrals

“I was about 26 years old at that time and didn’t know very much about the area,” laughed Batanian. “I soon found out that within a block there were at least a hundred mechanics. There are really no customers in El Monte. They’re all mechanics and workers here. You can’t even do an oil change on a car because everyone is doing his own.”

	Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian (right) and his son “Junior”—who manages the current chain of three retail outlets—in their original store in El Monte, California.

Nevertheless, Batanian has managed to build an extremely successful wheel and tire business over the years—so successful that he now has two additional stores in the greater Southern California area, one in Palmdale and another in Camarillo. In fact, he envisions a chain of 10 to 15 outlets throughout the Southland within the next few years.

So how has Kings Tire & Wheel come so far? The recipe, according to Batanian, is traditional customer service and referrals, referrals, referrals.

“I think the success in my business came because I worked with everybody,” he said. “I helped them, and they helped me in the process.”

Batanian made personal contacts with the surrounding mechanics and shops, asking them to send wheel and tire business his way. He advertised in local throw papers throughout the region. And he never said no to a customer, always finding ways to accommodate even the most demanding of them. And when the deals were done and the customers were satisfied, he shook their hands, looked them in the eye and politely asked for more referrals.

“We had to attract customers from other cities,” he explained. “I always believed in the old fashioned way of business, which always meant personal service. It’s all about service.

“In the early years when customers would come in, I’d suggest what set of wheels would look great on their cars. They would tell me to go ahead and put them on. They liked my taste. Every year we did well. The business grew and grew.”

However, Batanian conceded that by age 40, his sense of what was “in” began to lag. He decided it was time to start turning over business management to his son.

“Now that’s Junior’s department,” he smiled.

Word of Mouth

Having grown to three stores, Kings Tire & Wheel now has 50 employees. Batanian strives for a family environment in which each employee contributes his or her own special talents and skills for the benefit of all. Batanian’s efforts have paid off with a high rate of employee retention.

Batanian has always striven for competitive pricing of the wheel and tire brands he offers, but he insists that there is much more to his business than good deals.

“Within a year and a half to two years of starting, none of our advertising mattered,” he said. “It was word of mouth about the service that we offered. Today we have a 90% return client base. We service the clientele that we’ve had for years, their children, their grandchildren. They come visit me in my office. They’ve known Junior since he was 4 years old. Whatever they need, we want them to get the best for their money.”

There’s no hiding the fact that Batanian likes what he does and really cares about each person who comes into his retail space. It permeates all of his interactions. When you’re talking with him, he makes you his number-one priority. Plus his philosophy of exceptional service extends to everyone in the supply chain.

“I’ve never believed in a one-sided business,” he said.

“Everybody in the process has to benefit. It’s all about having five sections of the business succeeding and happy, from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer to the sales person behind the counter to the customer. You make these five people happy and everything is good.”

Among the people Batanian likes to keep happy are his 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a decade or more. Batanian said he likes to promote a family work environment that encourages employees to develop to their fullest potential while respecting the skill sets and limitations of each individual.

Kings Tire & Wheel’s main El Monte store encompasses an approximately 11,000-sq.-ft. building on a one-acre lot. The retailer utilizes 6,000 sq. ft. of that building while renting out the remaining space to other automotive-related tenants, and there is also a small showroom and several mechanics’ bays. On any given day, the facility’s ample parking lot overflows with customer vehicles ready to
be serviced.

The Camarillo store is approximately 5,000 sq. ft, while the Palmdale location is 8,000 sq. ft. and includes the company’s 2,000-sq.-ft. warehouse. Product lines include most major American, European and Asian tire brands and Styluz wheels.

Emphasizing the Basics

In the early days, Batanian’s “typical” customer was within the 30s to 40s demographic, with some clients reaching up to 70 years of age.

“We weren’t selling anything flashy,” he observed. “We’ve never been a flashy store where you come in for the ‘latest thing’ on the market.”

Instead, Batanian focused on quality, mainline products at reasonable prices, as well as suspension and alignment work. In doing so, Kings Tire & Wheel’s customer base has broadened in recent years to include younger buyers as well as high-end vehicle owners. In keeping with the digital age, the retailer now markets to its expanding demographics through a clean, no-nonsense website.

“We push our service a lot,” Batanian said. “Our guys can do anything from a Lamborghini to a Maybach.”

		Executive Summary Kings Tire & Wheel 4007 N. Baldwin Ave. #2 El Monte, CA 91731 626-443-8937 www.kingstireandwheel.com Sam Batanian: Owner Junior Batanian: Manager 50 employees Specializes in name-brand tires and wheels, suspension and alignment work. Makes personalized customer service an absolute priority Built business mainly on referrals and word of mouth. Now operates three successful outlets, with hopes of growing into a 10- to 15-store chain in the next few years.

The retailer also touts its expert advice on custom wheels and rims from a staff that’s deeply experienced in wheel styles, configurations and tire performance. Customers always get comprehensive information about how their styling choices will affect the overall handling and performance of their vehicles.

Batanian’s approach has helped him weather dramatic changes in the tire business over the last decade or so. He observed that it was common practice years ago for many dealers to stock about 2,000 tires representing 60%–70% coverage for vehicles.

“Now, there are so many SKUs, so many numbers and so many sizes that dealers can’t afford to stock a few thousand tires. Even if they did, that’s only 10% of the market,” he noted.

Moreover, an influx of less-expensive overseas product—mainly from China—has undercut big brand names. During the recent sagging economy, consumers went for the cheaper tires, meaning many dealers had to do more volume to cover their losses. To counter those trends, Batanian emphasized customer education on the benefits of brand names, including their warranty protection, their greater stopping power and safety, and their longer life.

His methods paid off. Now, after having drawn customers from all over the Greater Los Angeles area to his main shop, he is ready to set up new stores in the far-flung communities they’ve traveled from.

“Strategically, we’re placing the stores quite a bit of distance from each other,” he said. “Usually I think it would be a good idea to be close by and then grow out. Instead we’re starting from the furthest point and growing in. Again, we’re doing it backwards.”

But it’s that willingness to go the extra mile that has earned his customers’ trust.

“They basically come in, hand me their keys, ask for a ride home and let me take care of their vehicles,” Batanian concluded with pride.

If the first three rules of business are “location, location, location,” then Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian readily admits to doing everything wrong when he opened his first retail outlet 27 years ago in El Monte, California.

SEMA News—February 2014

BUSINESS
By Mike Imlay

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT: Kings Tire & Wheels Crowned by Service and Referrals

“I was about 26 years old at that time and didn’t know very much about the area,” laughed Batanian. “I soon found out that within a block there were at least a hundred mechanics. There are really no customers in El Monte. They’re all mechanics and workers here. You can’t even do an oil change on a car because everyone is doing his own.”

	Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian (right) and his son “Junior”—who manages the current chain of three retail outlets—in their original store in El Monte, California.

Nevertheless, Batanian has managed to build an extremely successful wheel and tire business over the years—so successful that he now has two additional stores in the greater Southern California area, one in Palmdale and another in Camarillo. In fact, he envisions a chain of 10 to 15 outlets throughout the Southland within the next few years.

So how has Kings Tire & Wheel come so far? The recipe, according to Batanian, is traditional customer service and referrals, referrals, referrals.

“I think the success in my business came because I worked with everybody,” he said. “I helped them, and they helped me in the process.”

Batanian made personal contacts with the surrounding mechanics and shops, asking them to send wheel and tire business his way. He advertised in local throw papers throughout the region. And he never said no to a customer, always finding ways to accommodate even the most demanding of them. And when the deals were done and the customers were satisfied, he shook their hands, looked them in the eye and politely asked for more referrals.

“We had to attract customers from other cities,” he explained. “I always believed in the old fashioned way of business, which always meant personal service. It’s all about service.

“In the early years when customers would come in, I’d suggest what set of wheels would look great on their cars. They would tell me to go ahead and put them on. They liked my taste. Every year we did well. The business grew and grew.”

However, Batanian conceded that by age 40, his sense of what was “in” began to lag. He decided it was time to start turning over business management to his son.

“Now that’s Junior’s department,” he smiled.

Word of Mouth

Having grown to three stores, Kings Tire & Wheel now has 50 employees. Batanian strives for a family environment in which each employee contributes his or her own special talents and skills for the benefit of all. Batanian’s efforts have paid off with a high rate of employee retention.

Batanian has always striven for competitive pricing of the wheel and tire brands he offers, but he insists that there is much more to his business than good deals.

“Within a year and a half to two years of starting, none of our advertising mattered,” he said. “It was word of mouth about the service that we offered. Today we have a 90% return client base. We service the clientele that we’ve had for years, their children, their grandchildren. They come visit me in my office. They’ve known Junior since he was 4 years old. Whatever they need, we want them to get the best for their money.”

There’s no hiding the fact that Batanian likes what he does and really cares about each person who comes into his retail space. It permeates all of his interactions. When you’re talking with him, he makes you his number-one priority. Plus his philosophy of exceptional service extends to everyone in the supply chain.

“I’ve never believed in a one-sided business,” he said.

“Everybody in the process has to benefit. It’s all about having five sections of the business succeeding and happy, from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer to the sales person behind the counter to the customer. You make these five people happy and everything is good.”

Among the people Batanian likes to keep happy are his 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a decade or more. Batanian said he likes to promote a family work environment that encourages employees to develop to their fullest potential while respecting the skill sets and limitations of each individual.

Kings Tire & Wheel’s main El Monte store encompasses an approximately 11,000-sq.-ft. building on a one-acre lot. The retailer utilizes 6,000 sq. ft. of that building while renting out the remaining space to other automotive-related tenants, and there is also a small showroom and several mechanics’ bays. On any given day, the facility’s ample parking lot overflows with customer vehicles ready to
be serviced.

The Camarillo store is approximately 5,000 sq. ft, while the Palmdale location is 8,000 sq. ft. and includes the company’s 2,000-sq.-ft. warehouse. Product lines include most major American, European and Asian tire brands and Styluz wheels.

Emphasizing the Basics

In the early days, Batanian’s “typical” customer was within the 30s to 40s demographic, with some clients reaching up to 70 years of age.

“We weren’t selling anything flashy,” he observed. “We’ve never been a flashy store where you come in for the ‘latest thing’ on the market.”

Instead, Batanian focused on quality, mainline products at reasonable prices, as well as suspension and alignment work. In doing so, Kings Tire & Wheel’s customer base has broadened in recent years to include younger buyers as well as high-end vehicle owners. In keeping with the digital age, the retailer now markets to its expanding demographics through a clean, no-nonsense website.

“We push our service a lot,” Batanian said. “Our guys can do anything from a Lamborghini to a Maybach.”

		Executive Summary Kings Tire & Wheel 4007 N. Baldwin Ave. #2 El Monte, CA 91731 626-443-8937 www.kingstireandwheel.com Sam Batanian: Owner Junior Batanian: Manager 50 employees Specializes in name-brand tires and wheels, suspension and alignment work. Makes personalized customer service an absolute priority Built business mainly on referrals and word of mouth. Now operates three successful outlets, with hopes of growing into a 10- to 15-store chain in the next few years.

The retailer also touts its expert advice on custom wheels and rims from a staff that’s deeply experienced in wheel styles, configurations and tire performance. Customers always get comprehensive information about how their styling choices will affect the overall handling and performance of their vehicles.

Batanian’s approach has helped him weather dramatic changes in the tire business over the last decade or so. He observed that it was common practice years ago for many dealers to stock about 2,000 tires representing 60%–70% coverage for vehicles.

“Now, there are so many SKUs, so many numbers and so many sizes that dealers can’t afford to stock a few thousand tires. Even if they did, that’s only 10% of the market,” he noted.

Moreover, an influx of less-expensive overseas product—mainly from China—has undercut big brand names. During the recent sagging economy, consumers went for the cheaper tires, meaning many dealers had to do more volume to cover their losses. To counter those trends, Batanian emphasized customer education on the benefits of brand names, including their warranty protection, their greater stopping power and safety, and their longer life.

His methods paid off. Now, after having drawn customers from all over the Greater Los Angeles area to his main shop, he is ready to set up new stores in the far-flung communities they’ve traveled from.

“Strategically, we’re placing the stores quite a bit of distance from each other,” he said. “Usually I think it would be a good idea to be close by and then grow out. Instead we’re starting from the furthest point and growing in. Again, we’re doing it backwards.”

But it’s that willingness to go the extra mile that has earned his customers’ trust.

“They basically come in, hand me their keys, ask for a ride home and let me take care of their vehicles,” Batanian concluded with pride.

If the first three rules of business are “location, location, location,” then Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian readily admits to doing everything wrong when he opened his first retail outlet 27 years ago in El Monte, California.

SEMA News—February 2014

BUSINESS
By Mike Imlay

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT: Kings Tire & Wheels Crowned by Service and Referrals

“I was about 26 years old at that time and didn’t know very much about the area,” laughed Batanian. “I soon found out that within a block there were at least a hundred mechanics. There are really no customers in El Monte. They’re all mechanics and workers here. You can’t even do an oil change on a car because everyone is doing his own.”

	Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian (right) and his son “Junior”—who manages the current chain of three retail outlets—in their original store in El Monte, California.

Nevertheless, Batanian has managed to build an extremely successful wheel and tire business over the years—so successful that he now has two additional stores in the greater Southern California area, one in Palmdale and another in Camarillo. In fact, he envisions a chain of 10 to 15 outlets throughout the Southland within the next few years.

So how has Kings Tire & Wheel come so far? The recipe, according to Batanian, is traditional customer service and referrals, referrals, referrals.

“I think the success in my business came because I worked with everybody,” he said. “I helped them, and they helped me in the process.”

Batanian made personal contacts with the surrounding mechanics and shops, asking them to send wheel and tire business his way. He advertised in local throw papers throughout the region. And he never said no to a customer, always finding ways to accommodate even the most demanding of them. And when the deals were done and the customers were satisfied, he shook their hands, looked them in the eye and politely asked for more referrals.

“We had to attract customers from other cities,” he explained. “I always believed in the old fashioned way of business, which always meant personal service. It’s all about service.

“In the early years when customers would come in, I’d suggest what set of wheels would look great on their cars. They would tell me to go ahead and put them on. They liked my taste. Every year we did well. The business grew and grew.”

However, Batanian conceded that by age 40, his sense of what was “in” began to lag. He decided it was time to start turning over business management to his son.

“Now that’s Junior’s department,” he smiled.

Word of Mouth

Having grown to three stores, Kings Tire & Wheel now has 50 employees. Batanian strives for a family environment in which each employee contributes his or her own special talents and skills for the benefit of all. Batanian’s efforts have paid off with a high rate of employee retention.

Batanian has always striven for competitive pricing of the wheel and tire brands he offers, but he insists that there is much more to his business than good deals.

“Within a year and a half to two years of starting, none of our advertising mattered,” he said. “It was word of mouth about the service that we offered. Today we have a 90% return client base. We service the clientele that we’ve had for years, their children, their grandchildren. They come visit me in my office. They’ve known Junior since he was 4 years old. Whatever they need, we want them to get the best for their money.”

There’s no hiding the fact that Batanian likes what he does and really cares about each person who comes into his retail space. It permeates all of his interactions. When you’re talking with him, he makes you his number-one priority. Plus his philosophy of exceptional service extends to everyone in the supply chain.

“I’ve never believed in a one-sided business,” he said.

“Everybody in the process has to benefit. It’s all about having five sections of the business succeeding and happy, from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer to the sales person behind the counter to the customer. You make these five people happy and everything is good.”

Among the people Batanian likes to keep happy are his 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a decade or more. Batanian said he likes to promote a family work environment that encourages employees to develop to their fullest potential while respecting the skill sets and limitations of each individual.

Kings Tire & Wheel’s main El Monte store encompasses an approximately 11,000-sq.-ft. building on a one-acre lot. The retailer utilizes 6,000 sq. ft. of that building while renting out the remaining space to other automotive-related tenants, and there is also a small showroom and several mechanics’ bays. On any given day, the facility’s ample parking lot overflows with customer vehicles ready to
be serviced.

The Camarillo store is approximately 5,000 sq. ft, while the Palmdale location is 8,000 sq. ft. and includes the company’s 2,000-sq.-ft. warehouse. Product lines include most major American, European and Asian tire brands and Styluz wheels.

Emphasizing the Basics

In the early days, Batanian’s “typical” customer was within the 30s to 40s demographic, with some clients reaching up to 70 years of age.

“We weren’t selling anything flashy,” he observed. “We’ve never been a flashy store where you come in for the ‘latest thing’ on the market.”

Instead, Batanian focused on quality, mainline products at reasonable prices, as well as suspension and alignment work. In doing so, Kings Tire & Wheel’s customer base has broadened in recent years to include younger buyers as well as high-end vehicle owners. In keeping with the digital age, the retailer now markets to its expanding demographics through a clean, no-nonsense website.

“We push our service a lot,” Batanian said. “Our guys can do anything from a Lamborghini to a Maybach.”

		Executive Summary Kings Tire & Wheel 4007 N. Baldwin Ave. #2 El Monte, CA 91731 626-443-8937 www.kingstireandwheel.com Sam Batanian: Owner Junior Batanian: Manager 50 employees Specializes in name-brand tires and wheels, suspension and alignment work. Makes personalized customer service an absolute priority Built business mainly on referrals and word of mouth. Now operates three successful outlets, with hopes of growing into a 10- to 15-store chain in the next few years.

The retailer also touts its expert advice on custom wheels and rims from a staff that’s deeply experienced in wheel styles, configurations and tire performance. Customers always get comprehensive information about how their styling choices will affect the overall handling and performance of their vehicles.

Batanian’s approach has helped him weather dramatic changes in the tire business over the last decade or so. He observed that it was common practice years ago for many dealers to stock about 2,000 tires representing 60%–70% coverage for vehicles.

“Now, there are so many SKUs, so many numbers and so many sizes that dealers can’t afford to stock a few thousand tires. Even if they did, that’s only 10% of the market,” he noted.

Moreover, an influx of less-expensive overseas product—mainly from China—has undercut big brand names. During the recent sagging economy, consumers went for the cheaper tires, meaning many dealers had to do more volume to cover their losses. To counter those trends, Batanian emphasized customer education on the benefits of brand names, including their warranty protection, their greater stopping power and safety, and their longer life.

His methods paid off. Now, after having drawn customers from all over the Greater Los Angeles area to his main shop, he is ready to set up new stores in the far-flung communities they’ve traveled from.

“Strategically, we’re placing the stores quite a bit of distance from each other,” he said. “Usually I think it would be a good idea to be close by and then grow out. Instead we’re starting from the furthest point and growing in. Again, we’re doing it backwards.”

But it’s that willingness to go the extra mile that has earned his customers’ trust.

“They basically come in, hand me their keys, ask for a ride home and let me take care of their vehicles,” Batanian concluded with pride.

If the first three rules of business are “location, location, location,” then Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian readily admits to doing everything wrong when he opened his first retail outlet 27 years ago in El Monte, California.

SEMA News—February 2014

BUSINESS
By Mike Imlay

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT: Kings Tire & Wheels Crowned by Service and Referrals

“I was about 26 years old at that time and didn’t know very much about the area,” laughed Batanian. “I soon found out that within a block there were at least a hundred mechanics. There are really no customers in El Monte. They’re all mechanics and workers here. You can’t even do an oil change on a car because everyone is doing his own.”

	Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian (right) and his son “Junior”—who manages the current chain of three retail outlets—in their original store in El Monte, California.

Nevertheless, Batanian has managed to build an extremely successful wheel and tire business over the years—so successful that he now has two additional stores in the greater Southern California area, one in Palmdale and another in Camarillo. In fact, he envisions a chain of 10 to 15 outlets throughout the Southland within the next few years.

So how has Kings Tire & Wheel come so far? The recipe, according to Batanian, is traditional customer service and referrals, referrals, referrals.

“I think the success in my business came because I worked with everybody,” he said. “I helped them, and they helped me in the process.”

Batanian made personal contacts with the surrounding mechanics and shops, asking them to send wheel and tire business his way. He advertised in local throw papers throughout the region. And he never said no to a customer, always finding ways to accommodate even the most demanding of them. And when the deals were done and the customers were satisfied, he shook their hands, looked them in the eye and politely asked for more referrals.

“We had to attract customers from other cities,” he explained. “I always believed in the old fashioned way of business, which always meant personal service. It’s all about service.

“In the early years when customers would come in, I’d suggest what set of wheels would look great on their cars. They would tell me to go ahead and put them on. They liked my taste. Every year we did well. The business grew and grew.”

However, Batanian conceded that by age 40, his sense of what was “in” began to lag. He decided it was time to start turning over business management to his son.

“Now that’s Junior’s department,” he smiled.

Word of Mouth

Having grown to three stores, Kings Tire & Wheel now has 50 employees. Batanian strives for a family environment in which each employee contributes his or her own special talents and skills for the benefit of all. Batanian’s efforts have paid off with a high rate of employee retention.

Batanian has always striven for competitive pricing of the wheel and tire brands he offers, but he insists that there is much more to his business than good deals.

“Within a year and a half to two years of starting, none of our advertising mattered,” he said. “It was word of mouth about the service that we offered. Today we have a 90% return client base. We service the clientele that we’ve had for years, their children, their grandchildren. They come visit me in my office. They’ve known Junior since he was 4 years old. Whatever they need, we want them to get the best for their money.”

There’s no hiding the fact that Batanian likes what he does and really cares about each person who comes into his retail space. It permeates all of his interactions. When you’re talking with him, he makes you his number-one priority. Plus his philosophy of exceptional service extends to everyone in the supply chain.

“I’ve never believed in a one-sided business,” he said.

“Everybody in the process has to benefit. It’s all about having five sections of the business succeeding and happy, from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer to the sales person behind the counter to the customer. You make these five people happy and everything is good.”

Among the people Batanian likes to keep happy are his 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a decade or more. Batanian said he likes to promote a family work environment that encourages employees to develop to their fullest potential while respecting the skill sets and limitations of each individual.

Kings Tire & Wheel’s main El Monte store encompasses an approximately 11,000-sq.-ft. building on a one-acre lot. The retailer utilizes 6,000 sq. ft. of that building while renting out the remaining space to other automotive-related tenants, and there is also a small showroom and several mechanics’ bays. On any given day, the facility’s ample parking lot overflows with customer vehicles ready to
be serviced.

The Camarillo store is approximately 5,000 sq. ft, while the Palmdale location is 8,000 sq. ft. and includes the company’s 2,000-sq.-ft. warehouse. Product lines include most major American, European and Asian tire brands and Styluz wheels.

Emphasizing the Basics

In the early days, Batanian’s “typical” customer was within the 30s to 40s demographic, with some clients reaching up to 70 years of age.

“We weren’t selling anything flashy,” he observed. “We’ve never been a flashy store where you come in for the ‘latest thing’ on the market.”

Instead, Batanian focused on quality, mainline products at reasonable prices, as well as suspension and alignment work. In doing so, Kings Tire & Wheel’s customer base has broadened in recent years to include younger buyers as well as high-end vehicle owners. In keeping with the digital age, the retailer now markets to its expanding demographics through a clean, no-nonsense website.

“We push our service a lot,” Batanian said. “Our guys can do anything from a Lamborghini to a Maybach.”

		Executive Summary Kings Tire & Wheel 4007 N. Baldwin Ave. #2 El Monte, CA 91731 626-443-8937 www.kingstireandwheel.com Sam Batanian: Owner Junior Batanian: Manager 50 employees Specializes in name-brand tires and wheels, suspension and alignment work. Makes personalized customer service an absolute priority Built business mainly on referrals and word of mouth. Now operates three successful outlets, with hopes of growing into a 10- to 15-store chain in the next few years.

The retailer also touts its expert advice on custom wheels and rims from a staff that’s deeply experienced in wheel styles, configurations and tire performance. Customers always get comprehensive information about how their styling choices will affect the overall handling and performance of their vehicles.

Batanian’s approach has helped him weather dramatic changes in the tire business over the last decade or so. He observed that it was common practice years ago for many dealers to stock about 2,000 tires representing 60%–70% coverage for vehicles.

“Now, there are so many SKUs, so many numbers and so many sizes that dealers can’t afford to stock a few thousand tires. Even if they did, that’s only 10% of the market,” he noted.

Moreover, an influx of less-expensive overseas product—mainly from China—has undercut big brand names. During the recent sagging economy, consumers went for the cheaper tires, meaning many dealers had to do more volume to cover their losses. To counter those trends, Batanian emphasized customer education on the benefits of brand names, including their warranty protection, their greater stopping power and safety, and their longer life.

His methods paid off. Now, after having drawn customers from all over the Greater Los Angeles area to his main shop, he is ready to set up new stores in the far-flung communities they’ve traveled from.

“Strategically, we’re placing the stores quite a bit of distance from each other,” he said. “Usually I think it would be a good idea to be close by and then grow out. Instead we’re starting from the furthest point and growing in. Again, we’re doing it backwards.”

But it’s that willingness to go the extra mile that has earned his customers’ trust.

“They basically come in, hand me their keys, ask for a ride home and let me take care of their vehicles,” Batanian concluded with pride.

If the first three rules of business are “location, location, location,” then Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian readily admits to doing everything wrong when he opened his first retail outlet 27 years ago in El Monte, California.

SEMA News—February 2014

BUSINESS
By Mike Imlay

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT: Kings Tire & Wheels Crowned by Service and Referrals

“I was about 26 years old at that time and didn’t know very much about the area,” laughed Batanian. “I soon found out that within a block there were at least a hundred mechanics. There are really no customers in El Monte. They’re all mechanics and workers here. You can’t even do an oil change on a car because everyone is doing his own.”

	Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian (right) and his son “Junior”—who manages the current chain of three retail outlets—in their original store in El Monte, California.

Nevertheless, Batanian has managed to build an extremely successful wheel and tire business over the years—so successful that he now has two additional stores in the greater Southern California area, one in Palmdale and another in Camarillo. In fact, he envisions a chain of 10 to 15 outlets throughout the Southland within the next few years.

So how has Kings Tire & Wheel come so far? The recipe, according to Batanian, is traditional customer service and referrals, referrals, referrals.

“I think the success in my business came because I worked with everybody,” he said. “I helped them, and they helped me in the process.”

Batanian made personal contacts with the surrounding mechanics and shops, asking them to send wheel and tire business his way. He advertised in local throw papers throughout the region. And he never said no to a customer, always finding ways to accommodate even the most demanding of them. And when the deals were done and the customers were satisfied, he shook their hands, looked them in the eye and politely asked for more referrals.

“We had to attract customers from other cities,” he explained. “I always believed in the old fashioned way of business, which always meant personal service. It’s all about service.

“In the early years when customers would come in, I’d suggest what set of wheels would look great on their cars. They would tell me to go ahead and put them on. They liked my taste. Every year we did well. The business grew and grew.”

However, Batanian conceded that by age 40, his sense of what was “in” began to lag. He decided it was time to start turning over business management to his son.

“Now that’s Junior’s department,” he smiled.

Word of Mouth

Having grown to three stores, Kings Tire & Wheel now has 50 employees. Batanian strives for a family environment in which each employee contributes his or her own special talents and skills for the benefit of all. Batanian’s efforts have paid off with a high rate of employee retention.

Batanian has always striven for competitive pricing of the wheel and tire brands he offers, but he insists that there is much more to his business than good deals.

“Within a year and a half to two years of starting, none of our advertising mattered,” he said. “It was word of mouth about the service that we offered. Today we have a 90% return client base. We service the clientele that we’ve had for years, their children, their grandchildren. They come visit me in my office. They’ve known Junior since he was 4 years old. Whatever they need, we want them to get the best for their money.”

There’s no hiding the fact that Batanian likes what he does and really cares about each person who comes into his retail space. It permeates all of his interactions. When you’re talking with him, he makes you his number-one priority. Plus his philosophy of exceptional service extends to everyone in the supply chain.

“I’ve never believed in a one-sided business,” he said.

“Everybody in the process has to benefit. It’s all about having five sections of the business succeeding and happy, from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer to the sales person behind the counter to the customer. You make these five people happy and everything is good.”

Among the people Batanian likes to keep happy are his 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a decade or more. Batanian said he likes to promote a family work environment that encourages employees to develop to their fullest potential while respecting the skill sets and limitations of each individual.

Kings Tire & Wheel’s main El Monte store encompasses an approximately 11,000-sq.-ft. building on a one-acre lot. The retailer utilizes 6,000 sq. ft. of that building while renting out the remaining space to other automotive-related tenants, and there is also a small showroom and several mechanics’ bays. On any given day, the facility’s ample parking lot overflows with customer vehicles ready to
be serviced.

The Camarillo store is approximately 5,000 sq. ft, while the Palmdale location is 8,000 sq. ft. and includes the company’s 2,000-sq.-ft. warehouse. Product lines include most major American, European and Asian tire brands and Styluz wheels.

Emphasizing the Basics

In the early days, Batanian’s “typical” customer was within the 30s to 40s demographic, with some clients reaching up to 70 years of age.

“We weren’t selling anything flashy,” he observed. “We’ve never been a flashy store where you come in for the ‘latest thing’ on the market.”

Instead, Batanian focused on quality, mainline products at reasonable prices, as well as suspension and alignment work. In doing so, Kings Tire & Wheel’s customer base has broadened in recent years to include younger buyers as well as high-end vehicle owners. In keeping with the digital age, the retailer now markets to its expanding demographics through a clean, no-nonsense website.

“We push our service a lot,” Batanian said. “Our guys can do anything from a Lamborghini to a Maybach.”

		Executive Summary Kings Tire & Wheel 4007 N. Baldwin Ave. #2 El Monte, CA 91731 626-443-8937 www.kingstireandwheel.com Sam Batanian: Owner Junior Batanian: Manager 50 employees Specializes in name-brand tires and wheels, suspension and alignment work. Makes personalized customer service an absolute priority Built business mainly on referrals and word of mouth. Now operates three successful outlets, with hopes of growing into a 10- to 15-store chain in the next few years.

The retailer also touts its expert advice on custom wheels and rims from a staff that’s deeply experienced in wheel styles, configurations and tire performance. Customers always get comprehensive information about how their styling choices will affect the overall handling and performance of their vehicles.

Batanian’s approach has helped him weather dramatic changes in the tire business over the last decade or so. He observed that it was common practice years ago for many dealers to stock about 2,000 tires representing 60%–70% coverage for vehicles.

“Now, there are so many SKUs, so many numbers and so many sizes that dealers can’t afford to stock a few thousand tires. Even if they did, that’s only 10% of the market,” he noted.

Moreover, an influx of less-expensive overseas product—mainly from China—has undercut big brand names. During the recent sagging economy, consumers went for the cheaper tires, meaning many dealers had to do more volume to cover their losses. To counter those trends, Batanian emphasized customer education on the benefits of brand names, including their warranty protection, their greater stopping power and safety, and their longer life.

His methods paid off. Now, after having drawn customers from all over the Greater Los Angeles area to his main shop, he is ready to set up new stores in the far-flung communities they’ve traveled from.

“Strategically, we’re placing the stores quite a bit of distance from each other,” he said. “Usually I think it would be a good idea to be close by and then grow out. Instead we’re starting from the furthest point and growing in. Again, we’re doing it backwards.”

But it’s that willingness to go the extra mile that has earned his customers’ trust.

“They basically come in, hand me their keys, ask for a ride home and let me take care of their vehicles,” Batanian concluded with pride.

If the first three rules of business are “location, location, location,” then Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian readily admits to doing everything wrong when he opened his first retail outlet 27 years ago in El Monte, California.

SEMA News—February 2014

BUSINESS
By Mike Imlay

RETAIL SPOTLIGHT: Kings Tire & Wheels Crowned by Service and Referrals

“I was about 26 years old at that time and didn’t know very much about the area,” laughed Batanian. “I soon found out that within a block there were at least a hundred mechanics. There are really no customers in El Monte. They’re all mechanics and workers here. You can’t even do an oil change on a car because everyone is doing his own.”

	Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian (right) and his son “Junior”—who manages the current chain of three retail outlets—in their original store in El Monte, California.

Nevertheless, Batanian has managed to build an extremely successful wheel and tire business over the years—so successful that he now has two additional stores in the greater Southern California area, one in Palmdale and another in Camarillo. In fact, he envisions a chain of 10 to 15 outlets throughout the Southland within the next few years.

So how has Kings Tire & Wheel come so far? The recipe, according to Batanian, is traditional customer service and referrals, referrals, referrals.

“I think the success in my business came because I worked with everybody,” he said. “I helped them, and they helped me in the process.”

Batanian made personal contacts with the surrounding mechanics and shops, asking them to send wheel and tire business his way. He advertised in local throw papers throughout the region. And he never said no to a customer, always finding ways to accommodate even the most demanding of them. And when the deals were done and the customers were satisfied, he shook their hands, looked them in the eye and politely asked for more referrals.

“We had to attract customers from other cities,” he explained. “I always believed in the old fashioned way of business, which always meant personal service. It’s all about service.

“In the early years when customers would come in, I’d suggest what set of wheels would look great on their cars. They would tell me to go ahead and put them on. They liked my taste. Every year we did well. The business grew and grew.”

However, Batanian conceded that by age 40, his sense of what was “in” began to lag. He decided it was time to start turning over business management to his son.

“Now that’s Junior’s department,” he smiled.

Word of Mouth

Having grown to three stores, Kings Tire & Wheel now has 50 employees. Batanian strives for a family environment in which each employee contributes his or her own special talents and skills for the benefit of all. Batanian’s efforts have paid off with a high rate of employee retention.

Batanian has always striven for competitive pricing of the wheel and tire brands he offers, but he insists that there is much more to his business than good deals.

“Within a year and a half to two years of starting, none of our advertising mattered,” he said. “It was word of mouth about the service that we offered. Today we have a 90% return client base. We service the clientele that we’ve had for years, their children, their grandchildren. They come visit me in my office. They’ve known Junior since he was 4 years old. Whatever they need, we want them to get the best for their money.”

There’s no hiding the fact that Batanian likes what he does and really cares about each person who comes into his retail space. It permeates all of his interactions. When you’re talking with him, he makes you his number-one priority. Plus his philosophy of exceptional service extends to everyone in the supply chain.

“I’ve never believed in a one-sided business,” he said.

“Everybody in the process has to benefit. It’s all about having five sections of the business succeeding and happy, from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer to the sales person behind the counter to the customer. You make these five people happy and everything is good.”

Among the people Batanian likes to keep happy are his 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a decade or more. Batanian said he likes to promote a family work environment that encourages employees to develop to their fullest potential while respecting the skill sets and limitations of each individual.

Kings Tire & Wheel’s main El Monte store encompasses an approximately 11,000-sq.-ft. building on a one-acre lot. The retailer utilizes 6,000 sq. ft. of that building while renting out the remaining space to other automotive-related tenants, and there is also a small showroom and several mechanics’ bays. On any given day, the facility’s ample parking lot overflows with customer vehicles ready to
be serviced.

The Camarillo store is approximately 5,000 sq. ft, while the Palmdale location is 8,000 sq. ft. and includes the company’s 2,000-sq.-ft. warehouse. Product lines include most major American, European and Asian tire brands and Styluz wheels.

Emphasizing the Basics

In the early days, Batanian’s “typical” customer was within the 30s to 40s demographic, with some clients reaching up to 70 years of age.

“We weren’t selling anything flashy,” he observed. “We’ve never been a flashy store where you come in for the ‘latest thing’ on the market.”

Instead, Batanian focused on quality, mainline products at reasonable prices, as well as suspension and alignment work. In doing so, Kings Tire & Wheel’s customer base has broadened in recent years to include younger buyers as well as high-end vehicle owners. In keeping with the digital age, the retailer now markets to its expanding demographics through a clean, no-nonsense website.

“We push our service a lot,” Batanian said. “Our guys can do anything from a Lamborghini to a Maybach.”

		Executive Summary Kings Tire & Wheel 4007 N. Baldwin Ave. #2 El Monte, CA 91731 626-443-8937 www.kingstireandwheel.com Sam Batanian: Owner Junior Batanian: Manager 50 employees Specializes in name-brand tires and wheels, suspension and alignment work. Makes personalized customer service an absolute priority Built business mainly on referrals and word of mouth. Now operates three successful outlets, with hopes of growing into a 10- to 15-store chain in the next few years.

The retailer also touts its expert advice on custom wheels and rims from a staff that’s deeply experienced in wheel styles, configurations and tire performance. Customers always get comprehensive information about how their styling choices will affect the overall handling and performance of their vehicles.

Batanian’s approach has helped him weather dramatic changes in the tire business over the last decade or so. He observed that it was common practice years ago for many dealers to stock about 2,000 tires representing 60%–70% coverage for vehicles.

“Now, there are so many SKUs, so many numbers and so many sizes that dealers can’t afford to stock a few thousand tires. Even if they did, that’s only 10% of the market,” he noted.

Moreover, an influx of less-expensive overseas product—mainly from China—has undercut big brand names. During the recent sagging economy, consumers went for the cheaper tires, meaning many dealers had to do more volume to cover their losses. To counter those trends, Batanian emphasized customer education on the benefits of brand names, including their warranty protection, their greater stopping power and safety, and their longer life.

His methods paid off. Now, after having drawn customers from all over the Greater Los Angeles area to his main shop, he is ready to set up new stores in the far-flung communities they’ve traveled from.

“Strategically, we’re placing the stores quite a bit of distance from each other,” he said. “Usually I think it would be a good idea to be close by and then grow out. Instead we’re starting from the furthest point and growing in. Again, we’re doing it backwards.”

But it’s that willingness to go the extra mile that has earned his customers’ trust.

“They basically come in, hand me their keys, ask for a ride home and let me take care of their vehicles,” Batanian concluded with pride.

If the first three rules of business are “location, location, location,” then Kings Tire & Wheel owner Sam Batanian readily admits to doing everything wrong when he opened his first retail outlet 27 years ago in El Monte, California.