- Story by Tess van Straaten Photography by Don Denton
Cars have been Kevin Jensen鈥檚 passion for almost half a century. He started working in the auto repair industry when he was a 16-year-old high school student in Edmonton, and a job just a few years later in Vancouver would change the trajectory of his life.
鈥淚 got a job at Big O Tires in Kitsilano when I was 20. I saw how successful some of the franchise owners were and I realized it was a good opportunity,鈥� recounts Kevin. 鈥淚 worked there for 10 years, working my way up to manager, and I saved to buy my own location.鈥�
Kevin opened his own Big O Tires franchise in downtown Victoria 27 years ago, after driving around the city scouting for the best spot.
鈥淲hen I moved here, I didn鈥檛 know Victoria at all,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 literally drove up and down every street looking for a location, and this was the only location that would have worked. It鈥檚 a destination [business] and we were looking for a destination area close to where people lived and worked.鈥�
In just three years, Kevin鈥檚 burgeoning business would become the most successful Big O Tires franchise in the entire province. It went from zero business to $1 million in revenue in three years鈥攂ecoming the first outlet in British Columbia to reach the $1-million milestone.
鈥淭hey gave us our million-dollar rings,鈥� says Kevin, who is the current vice-president of Big O Tires Canada and a past president. 鈥淲ith hard work and perseverance and a little bit of luck and a great location and great landlords, we ended up being the biggest store in our franchise group and we鈥檝e kept that level up until today.鈥�
For Kevin, who鈥檚 vigilant about training and quality workmanship, the biggest challenge with running the business鈥攅specially in the last few years鈥攈as been finding experienced employees.
鈥淲e spend a lot of money just making sure we鈥檙e fully staffed. Right now, I鈥檇 say half the people who used to be open six days a week in automotive are now only open five days a week because they don鈥檛 have staff to keep open. There鈥檚 a shortage of over 500 Red Seal mechanics in British Columbia right now.鈥�
This past year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been new challenges to overcome鈥攆rom too much business to too little. Before the pandemic, Kevin鈥檚 team was servicing about 40 cars a day. That all but dried up overnight in the early days of the crisis.
鈥淚t was probably the only time that I felt helpless and had no control over the future of my business,鈥� Kevin admits. 鈥淐OVID-19 was an obstacle you can鈥檛 really hurdle. If they shut down the whole country, there鈥檚 not a lot you can do if people are staying home and not driving to work. We were lucky they designated auto repair as an essential.鈥�
By last June, business was booming again鈥攁nd revving to record growth for the second half of the year.
鈥淲e had six record months of almost double the volume,鈥� says Kevin. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been doing 60 or 70 cars a day, which is incredible, working six days a week and 12 hours a day. That was the biggest challenge.鈥�
To better meet the demand, Big O Tires is expanding to a Pandora and Quadra location, which will mean six more hoists and an additional 20 parking spaces. The Johnson Street location across the road, which was being used as a mechanical repair facility, is also being expanded and will be used as a speed lane for fast flat repairs and quick winter tire changeovers.
鈥淭hat will give us three locations within a block downtown,鈥� Kevin explains. 鈥淭hat gives us 15 hoists and parking for almost 50 cars.鈥�
The original Quadra location is also being totally revamped, from the ground up. Kevin says they鈥檙e investing 鈥渜uite a bit of money to bring all the shops to the next level.鈥� It could be seen as a big risk or as finding an opportunity amid a crisis.
鈥淪ometimes you just have to take an opportunity and when it comes to the availability of locations and getting a good deal on a lease rate, the opportunities are better in hard times versus when everything is successful. So if you have a few dollars to expand, it makes sense,鈥� Kevin says. 鈥淧eople have a tendency to buy stocks when they鈥檙e going up, but really you should be buying when they鈥檙e going down.鈥�
With more and more people living in the downtown core and so many auto repair shops moving out of it, Kevin is also banking on demand continuing to be high in the area with so few competitors.
鈥淚n the last 20 years, there are probably at least 50 per cent fewer [repair shops] and the population is growing. We鈥檒l probably be the last in the downtown core within two or three years.鈥�
With many accolades over the years鈥攊ncluding several Black Press 鈥淏est in the City鈥� awards鈥攁nd rave reviews, Kevin says his biggest mistake was not buying the property all those years ago when his landlord offered it to him for $380,000.
At the age of 64, Kevin is now getting everything set up to pass the lug wrench to his son, TJ, and manager Tony Tummillo, who came to work for him after they worked together for a decade in Kitsilano.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just a big family,鈥� Kevin says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what makes our business鈥攐ur employees and customers.鈥�
Excited about what this year will bring as he drives change and embarks on expansions, Kevin says the secret to success is pretty simple.
鈥淵ou can do anything you want to do鈥攜ou just have to try hard enough and put the time in. It鈥檚 just a matter of focus and hard work.鈥�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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