Professional Distributor - 38

A dynamic duo
This father-and-son team work in tandem to bring Florida customers
a one-two punch of mobile and retail tool experiences.

G
BY BRITTANY VINCENT,
MANAGING EDITOR

502-519-7978
Brittany@VehicleServicePros.com

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reg Manuel is a multi-route operator
and tool dealer with Tool Warehouse
out of Davie, Florida. Manuel operates
throughout Fort Lauderdale and trades off
routes with his son to service the Hollywood and
Dania areas.
The current Tool Warehouse legacy is a family affair, as Manuel's roots in the industry run
deep. Manuel's father had two trucks on the
road and opened a tool store to complement his
road-centric business.
"He did the store and I did the truck," Manuel
says of his early beginnings. "Then I got hired away
by somebody - not intentionally - and I ran another
tool store for about six years."
It wasn't always easy for Manuel to flourish
within the industry. Before opening Tool Warehouse, he operated a different tool store for 16
years. As is the case with many mom and pop
shops, behemoths like Amazon and eBay threatened
his livelihood.
"It was just a very, very trying time," Manuel said
of his original tool shop endeavor.
The desire to sell tools proved too great for
Manuel to stay away, however, and after his father's
passing, he ended up bringing Tool Warehouse to
life in tandem with his son. The business is a hybrid
mobile and brick-and-mortar operation.
Manuel's son has been running the mobile portion of Tool Warehouse's business for about three
years now, which constitutes a major part of the
duo's larger tool distribution landscape.
The pair currently operate a Chevrolet Kodiak
C5500 truck with an 18' box. Previously, they relied
on a Freightliner as well, which the pair recently
sold off - now they operate one truck between them.
This one-two punch has been helpful for Manuel to attract customers. He estimates that about 65
percent of his customer base is made up of regular
visitors who keep coming back, thanks to his brand
of customer service.
"I get new customers all the time, but I treat
them fair and give them a fair deal," he says. "If
something breaks, just handle it. They have a problem, you need to fix it. I'll tell you what: If you don't,

38 Professional Distributor I September 2020 I VehicleServicePros.com

Greg Manuel and his son stand proudly in front of their
shared Tool Warehouse truck.

the next guy will."
This philosophy has helped Manuel cement
himself as a beacon of reliability. It's more challenging than ever to keep visitors from immediately
looking for a cheaper solution. Instant gratification
is king, and nowhere is it seen more clearly than
with mobile tool distributors.
Manuel directly combats this behavior by
reminding customers of the convenience and peace
of mind they get from purchasing items via his
tool truck.
"We have it now, we have it there where you can
touch it, and you can feel it," says Manuel of his
stock. "With Amazon, you can't do that."
This ever-changing industry means that Manuel
and Tool Warehouse must constantly adapt. This
includes stocking the right products based on what
customers request, but as Manuel notes, there isn't
one single category of goods his regulars ask for.
"It's a mix from one day to the next," he says. "It
might be electronics one week, and then the next
it's everyday sockets, wrenches, and other regular
tools. It's different all the time."
The industry can be tumultuous, as Manuel
has seen firsthand, but he enjoys working with his
son and making things easier for his customers.
Whether it's helping them with problems or satisfying their everyday needs, he's always happy to
lend a hand.
"It's a great business," he says. "It's rewarding to
make sales and I enjoy the store aspect as much as
I do the truck, to be honest. I enjoy seeing the customers and trying to solve their problems because
I love challenges."

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