- Story by Tess van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Cars have been Kevin Jensen乌鸦传媒檚 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.

乌鸦传媒淚 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,乌鸦传媒� recounts Kevin. 乌鸦传媒淚 worked there for 10 years, working my way up to manager, and I saved to buy my own location.乌鸦传媒�

Kevin opened his own Big O Tires franchise in downtown Victoria 27 years ago, after driving around the city scouting for the best spot.

乌鸦传媒淲hen I moved here, I didn乌鸦传媒檛 know Victoria at all,乌鸦传媒� he says. 乌鸦传媒淚 literally drove up and down every street looking for a location, and this was the only location that would have worked. It乌鸦传媒檚 a destination [business] and we were looking for a destination area close to where people lived and worked.乌鸦传媒�

In just three years, Kevin乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒攂ecoming the first outlet in British Columbia to reach the $1-million milestone.

乌鸦传媒淭hey gave us our million-dollar rings,乌鸦传媒� says Kevin, who is the current vice-president of Big O Tires Canada and a past president. 乌鸦传媒淲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乌鸦传媒檝e kept that level up until today.乌鸦传媒�

For Kevin, who乌鸦传媒檚 vigilant about training and quality workmanship, the biggest challenge with running the business乌鸦传媒攅specially in the last few years乌鸦传媒攈as been finding experienced employees.

乌鸦传媒淲e spend a lot of money just making sure we乌鸦传媒檙e fully staffed. Right now, I乌鸦传媒檇 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乌鸦传媒檛 have staff to keep open. There乌鸦传媒檚 a shortage of over 500 Red Seal mechanics in British Columbia right now.乌鸦传媒�

This past year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been new challenges to overcome乌鸦传媒攆rom too much business to too little. Before the pandemic, Kevin乌鸦传媒檚 team was servicing about 40 cars a day. That all but dried up overnight in the early days of the crisis.

乌鸦传媒淚t was probably the only time that I felt helpless and had no control over the future of my business,乌鸦传媒� Kevin admits. 乌鸦传媒淐OVID-19 was an obstacle you can乌鸦传媒檛 really hurdle. If they shut down the whole country, there乌鸦传媒檚 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.乌鸦传媒�

By last June, business was booming again乌鸦传媒攁nd revving to record growth for the second half of the year.

乌鸦传媒淲e had six record months of almost double the volume,乌鸦传媒� says Kevin. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝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.乌鸦传媒�

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.

乌鸦传媒淭hat will give us three locations within a block downtown,乌鸦传媒� Kevin explains. 乌鸦传媒淭hat gives us 15 hoists and parking for almost 50 cars.乌鸦传媒�

The original Quadra location is also being totally revamped, from the ground up. Kevin says they乌鸦传媒檙e investing 乌鸦传媒渜uite a bit of money to bring all the shops to the next level.乌鸦传媒� It could be seen as a big risk or as finding an opportunity amid a crisis.

乌鸦传媒淪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,乌鸦传媒� Kevin says. 乌鸦传媒淧eople have a tendency to buy stocks when they乌鸦传媒檙e going up, but really you should be buying when they乌鸦传媒檙e going down.乌鸦传媒�

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.

乌鸦传媒淚n the last 20 years, there are probably at least 50 per cent fewer [repair shops] and the population is growing. We乌鸦传媒檒l probably be the last in the downtown core within two or three years.乌鸦传媒�

With many accolades over the years乌鸦传媒攊ncluding several Black Press 乌鸦传媒淏est in the City乌鸦传媒� awards乌鸦传媒攁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.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e just a big family,乌鸦传媒� Kevin says. 乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 what makes our business乌鸦传媒攐ur employees and customers.乌鸦传媒�

Excited about what this year will bring as he drives change and embarks on expansions, Kevin says the secret to success is pretty simple.

乌鸦传媒淵ou can do anything you want to do乌鸦传媒攜ou just have to try hard enough and put the time in. It乌鸦传媒檚 just a matter of focus and hard work.乌鸦传媒�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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