MTD Flashback: Richards Kept Hustling
Hustle was the name of the game even 100 years ago, former MTD Editor Jerome Shaw wrote in the July 1925 issue of Tires, which later became MTD. In that edition, Shaw profiled L.C. Richards, an enterprising tire dealer in the Akron, Ohio, suburb of Cuyahoga Falls.
"No wonder L.C. Richards is in the tire business. He can’t keep away from rubber. He has been working at it and in it for 14 years. The crackling of the big rubber mill calenders, the clank of the molds, the smooth red finish of the hot water bottles are all familiar to Richards, who for a number of years was calendar man, tire builder, sundries maker and pretty nearly everything else in the rubber line for Goodyear and Goodrich. And he’s been at the selling end of the business, too.
"That’s why at the end of the war, Richards decided to sell rubber – and he picked tires, a location in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and started in.
"Despite the fact the L.C. is the proprietor, owner, service man and sales manager for the firm, he doesn’t lose any business because he lacks help and he keeps a long line of car owners coming and going all day long to and from the snappy service station at 82 North Front Street. Organization is partly responsible and the rest of the reason is Richards himself.
"Everything is just where he needs it. He doesn’t need to hunt for a tool, a certain size of tube, battery or repair. This saves time and steps. Then again, L.C. is a bundle of energy. Things move just as though there are two of him, instead of one. And so his cash register is jingling merrily like a Swiss music box.
"His present store is 20x28 feet in front, where the sales and display room are, and 20x28 in the rear, where the vulcanizing and battery work is done. The two windows are used to advertise the goods Richards sells and he advertises the fact that this is ‘Richards & Tire Supply Co.,’ with a big painted sign over his door and a display sign on one side of his neat building.
"Inside the store, the tires are neatly racked. There are plenty of well-arranged shelves, neatly displayed counters and showcases. There is an excellent accessories line-up, too.
"Richards sells Ajax, Miller and Marathon tires and tubes. He is proud of one of his equipment jobs in Cuyahoga Falls – that of a local fire truck which he equipped with 40x8 Millers. Richards also has a greasing rack and sells motor oil and fuel. He has been able to build up a good radio battery and parts trade by selling later, earlier and on Sundays, when other stores are closed.
"In going after business, Richards has bent every effort to get the public to do trading at his store and not on the road through a service truck, although he will handle service calls when they are urgent. But he is educating his customers to trade at the store instead of running up a big expense on service car maintenance.
"He uses direct mailings once a month to get trade. He does personal selling. 'Ninety percent of getting commercial business is by means of personal contact,' Richards declared and as they passed his place, he pointed out truck after truck he had equipped and was servicing, not only for tires but for oil, gasoline and accessories.
"Richards is doing a good business. One the corner location next to him is a gasoline and oil service station, but it isn’t injuring L.C.’s business in any way. That’s one of the advantages of knowing all about rubber.
"Another big advantage is that after a while, customers come to place so much reliance on his judgement in recommending the proper size of tire for the different weights of cars and trucks that there is little danger of losing their trade just because they might be able to get a slightly better price at some other dealers. This service keeps customers in line when they might be tempted to stray because of friendship or price."