Real World Retail

Small Town Charm

Greg’s Custom Audio, Video & Car Stereo has found its niche by offering something for everyone, with personalized service, multiple 12-volt categories, and even a specialty gift shop.

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

FAST FACTS

Main Location: Pikeville, Ky. Number of Locations: 1 Square Footage: 4,914 Type: Traditional Retail Number of Employees: 5

MAIN FOCUS

40% Car Audio, Remote Start and Accessories 30% Powersports, Motorcycle and Marine 20% Truck Accessories, Tires and Wheels 10% Home Audio and Video

KEY STAFF

Owners: Greg and Tammy Tackett Store Manager / Sales: Larry Martin Service Manager / AV Installer: Greg Osborne Installation Manager / Sales: Chris Coleman Bookkeeper: Tammy Tackett

From the time he was a teenager, Greg Tackett worked in the electronics business with his father and uncle. The family business persevered as a tire shop, doing mechanical work for 20-plus years. It wasn’t until September of 2007 that Tackett and his wife, Tammy, found a place to rent where they could finally open their own business. Greg’s Custom Audio, Video & Car Stereo welcomed customers for the first time in November of that year in Pikeville, Ky.

After years of renting, the business purchased its own building a short distance away from the previous location, opening on the second of January, 2019. This was momentous, Tackett explained, because for eleven years, Greg’s operated out of a single-bay garage that wasn’t even large enough to accommodate a crew-cab truck with the bay door shut. Now, the shop has two full-size climate-controlled bays and plenty of room

to expand into additional categories. The building needed a lot of work which is ongoing today. “My wife walked in and said, ‘There’s no way we can do this,’” Tackett recalled. “This was right before Christmas. We had until December 31 to get out of our old place. That day, we got out of our old location at about 10 at night.”

Since the community is a small one, Tackett said a lot of people knew the business and the situation, but they also utilized Facebook, Instagram and local radio shows to spread the word. Along with car audio, remote start and accessories, the shop offers truck tires, wheels, powersports, motorcycle and marine audio, as well as home audio and video.

As a mom-and-pop retailer, Tackett said all employees chip in when it comes to cleaning, stocking shelves, inventory management, delivery, sales training and more. And the staff sticks around, too—with an average tenure of about eight years.

Tammy’s Corner and Radio Shack Provide Increased Revenue

There’s another side to the business that offers a unique shopping experience: a little store called Tammy’s Corner, which Tackett said his wife created out of an old garage bay. In the beginning, he admitted he didn’t think the little store would garner much attention. However, the opposite has proved to be true.

“Men will come in and buy a stereo, and they’ll go into her store and buy a gift or an outfit for the ladies,” he said, adding that couples will visit, and the women will purchase something from Tammy.

“We get a lot of cross-promotion with that,” Tackett said. “It’s very nice.” Tammy’s Corner sells clothing, gifts, and items for both ladies and gentlemen. “I’m shocked each month when I see her numbers. People head in and then come out with a bag full of goodies.”

Because Greg’s has diversified in so many ways, the business was deemed

The first step of the sales process is to make the customer feel welcome, and to just listen. Then, sales people bring their knowledgeand training to the table to offer services and products tailored to thecustomer’s needs.

essential and has stayed open throughout the spread of COVID-19. Greg’s also carries a name that isn’t seen often these days: Radio Shack. About four years ago, when Radio Shack went out, Tackett said they picked it up as an independent dealer. “That also helped us become an essential business because of what they do,” he said. “It’s brought quite a few people in. I had no idea the name was as big as it is, but every week, people walk in and say, ‘Is this the Radio Shack?’”

The shop sells all of Radio Shack’s do-it-yourself accessories, such as cables and connections. “They also have programs with several distributors that have opened up some new opportunities, categories with better discounts than we were getting before.” Even today, he said, Radio Shack has a huge following, “and it’s increased our walk-in traffic significantly.”

Diversification, Tackett said, is one of the business’s biggest recent accomplishments—especially since powersports with side-by-side stereos and accessories, and motorcycle and marine audio, has become such a major component, providing about 30 percent of overall revenue.

Tackett said this category is only continuing to grow. “Our staff has studied, read and researched the different accessories available,” he added, noting that they continue to make themselves as familiar as possible with vendors, brands and installation possibilities, especially with the increasing popularity of side-by-sides.

Nurturing a Comfortable Sales Environment

Tackett said he and his staff have noticed some customers’ defensiveness when they first enter the store, indicative of previous bad experiences with other companies which have likely prompted them to prepare for the worst. Greg’s meets this by working to make a personal connection with the customer. “We start with a soft approach, listening first, and then recommending products based on how they’ll benefit the individual,” Tackett explained.

The staff is cross-trained, but each person has specialties or strengths. If one salesperson is more familiar with an item or a vehicle, he said, that person will work with the customer. Each salesperson

With longevity and name recognition in the local community, Greg’s Custom Audio provides a tailored experience and focuses on shiftingnegative expectations by making personal connections.

is also trained to pay attention to the customer’s body language and address any objections with other benefits, or different payment methods if cost is a concern. “Never pressure the customer,” Tackett added. “Our business statement is, ‘Better service, bigger smiles.’ We want to give the customer what they want, take care of them, and see them leave with a smile on their face and come back the same way.”

Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

When COVID-19 began its spread, Tackett said he and his team faced all the same questions as the rest of the industry: Would they have to shut the doors? If they stayed open, would anyone come in? Despite these worries, Tackett said business remained strong. New employees, new vendors and new products have been added, and Greg’s Custom Audio continues to plan for a bright future.

Tackett said the first thing they did was unite as a team.

“We let everyone know we’re in this together,” he explained. “If they ever felt unsafe, they were encouraged not to come in. Every staff member stayed on and contributed to the success of the business.” Meanwhile, he added, businesses

around them closed, laying off or furloughing employees. “Our staff sacrificed like never before, and they did what they needed to do to ensure we all had a place to come to. I once had a boss who told me, ‘Never become friends with your employees.’ The men and women I work with are not only my friends, but also a part of my family.” Tackett stressed that this outlook is what has carried the business through the year, ensuring it thrived amid challenges.

The uncertainty regarding COVID-19 was the biggest challenge of the year, he added. “We stayed open, and customers kept coming in,” he said. “They were asking for stereos, speakers, truck accessories and sound bars for side-bysides. People were spending, pandemic or no pandemic.”

Tackett said he used this as an opportunity to focus on meeting the needs of his customers. “While others were cutting back, we were getting products in and moving them out the door.”

While business is good right now, Tackett said the local economy is always a concern because the shop is in the middle of coal country. Several years ago, he explained, the area was growing. Now, with the loss of jobs in the coal industry,

Home theater is one of the many categories offered, though it makes up a small percentage of overall revenue.

things have become uncertain. “We have a hospital that’s growing and a university that’s bringing people in,” Tackett said, adding, “Our economy is stable right now, but it’s still in the backs of our minds what might happen if we lose more industry.”

Expanding a Business? Know Your Dreams

In 2021, the business’s goal is to remodel the installation bays. Tackett said he wants to clean them up, organize them and make the workspace more efficient. Additionally, the business continues to examine niches that might spark further growth. “Is there something we can do better? Are there things we can change or do differently with the lines and categories we have now?” he said. “The economy could cause some problems— but we want to make sure that it’s not us causing the problem.” The remodel of the showroom is about 80 percent complete as of this writing.

The Tacketts aren’t planning to open a second location, but they do want to expand categories and experiment with the local market. “There are lots of opportunities here.” Even though there are no lakes within 25 to 30 miles, marine sales have recently tripled. Business is booming on all counts, and much of this has to

do with the powersports category.

When it comes to diversifying and expanding a business, Tackett advised retailers ensure that each decision is backed by the knowledge that it will help the business and be beneficial in the future. If not, it isn’t worth it. “We looked for a new location for five years and got serious the last year,” he said. “You have to know what your dreams are and stick to your ideas of what you want to do, and go for that until you get it.”

Tackett admitted that he’s too cautious sometimes. When the powersports category began to grow, he pushed himself to look deeper into it and take a chance. “The pandemic started, and weren’t sure about it. But we started picking up [new products]. They started selling well. People come in asking for them.” Now, he said, powersports and accessories are bringing in around 35 percent of the business’s revenue. “As I look toward the future, I know it’s good to be cautious—but not so cautious that it’ll hold us back from expanding or doing other things. You have to try something before you know whether it’ll work.”

And it’s important to remember, he added, not everything will be successful. “Things work out, but sometimes it takes longer than we want it to.”

Davis Distribution Keeps Things Moving During Pandemic

“We are direct with most of our vendors, but with the pandemic and a shortage of products, Davis Distribution has been able to help keep our shelves stocked,” Tackett said, adding that Davis has set up trainings, visited the store and worked to protect the lines Tackett’s shop carries. Additionally, when there are product shortages, Davis will help find alternatives. “We have a good relationship with all our sales reps and have been fortunate to work with a lot of good people,” Tackett said.

Sony is the business’s most popular brand from Davis Distribution. “Our customers love the look, simple operation and sound of Sony’s XAV models with Car Play. Powerbass Bluetooth sound bars are also popular with the Power sport customer. They are easy to operate, waterproof and tough.”

Due to the local market’s increased focus on powersports, Tackett said they are looking forward to seeing how the XL1250 Powerbass soundbar is received by customers, as the product’s previous iteration sold very well.

Aside from Davis Distribution, Tackett said that over the years, the shop has had a lot of support. Back in 2007 when the shop first opened, he added, “Keith Selby from Cardinal Sales went above and beyond helping us with shelving and displays. I’ve been doing this since I was 16 or 17 years old. Through the years, there’ve been a lot of people who’ve helped us—including Progressive Group, Rockford, and Kevin Houston with Kicker.”

Facebook Groups Help Raise Local Awareness

Rather than boosting posts online, Tackett said that he’s had more luck with posting about current jobs and projects on Facebook powersports groups and buy and sell groups. The focus is simply to get the business’s name out there, he said, adding that they researched groups to find out which ones were best for their purposes. “We found some groups frowned upon traditional advertising, so we had to work our message into the post so as not to come across the wrong way,” Tackett explained.

“Also, Facebook only allow so many posts to different groups at one time. We had identify around one hundred groups in our area that we could use to get our message out. We ended up having to post to the different groups over a seven- to ten-day period so that we would not have our account suspended. Around twenty-five at a time.”

Since the posts were going onto groups rather than a dedicated page for the business, Tackett said the posts remain focused on simply letting people know the shop is out there. “We’ll share a photo of something we’ve done, for example, so it’s not advertising,” he explained, adding that he hopes to also reach beyond the shop’s local area, which is relatively rural.

The efforts did increase traffic to the business’s Facebook page, garnering more likes and bringing new customers into the store, Tackett noted.

Pandemic Provides Unique Training Opportunities

Because the shop is so busy, Tackett views the recent increase in online training as a great opportunity. He stated the trainings have been very valuable due to flexibility: Participants can watch live, or afterhours as a group.

Normally, Greg’s hosts in-house trainings or travels. Traveling can be inconvenient, he added, because the training site is often far away.

“We have found online training to be more convenient,” he said, noting that the staff has been able to get essential information about the why behind customers’ buying habits, the how regarding benefits for both the business and the customer, and the “sizzle”—or, why the customer needs the product.

Prior to the pandemic, the shop had plans to send one of the staff members to KnowledgeFest Indy, but now, Tackett said, “We will wait and see what things look like in 2021.”