- November 7, 2024
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Del Hydrick, owner of Del's Garage in Bunnell.
Del's Garage owner Del Hydrick with his mechanics, William Lewis, Brian Normandin, and Fred Mayle.
When he was a 12-year-old in DeKalb, Illinois, Del Hydrick rode his bike 8 miles to wash dishes. In high school, he entered the school's first co-op program in the automotive trade, and worked afternoons turning a wrench, but in the back of his mind he always wanted to own his own business. After 26 years of working for someone else, he took the chance and opened Del's Garage in Bunnell three years ago.
“I worked in the dealer world at a dealership. It was a great place, but it became more corporate and basically burned me out in the last few years. I was going to get out of the business. I knew I was going to work for myself. I knew I could do better.”
“Customers would see me in the street and ask 'Where are you? I'd say, 'I'm out of the business, I don't know what I'm going to do.' Numerous people knew my cell phone number and they were calling.
“It took about two years where I did other things to pay the bills. Then I found this building, and ran the numbers. I went to Joe Roy at the BAC (Business Assistance Center). He helped me build a business plan. I put on paper everything I thought I was going to do. He said, 'Let's recompute everything by cutting it in half and see if it's still profitable. We did, and he said I'd still be OK. I mortgaged everything I had and I had investors who relied on me paying them back.”
“I started getting phone calls from people I hadn't heard from for two to three years. Within the first three months I knew it was going to be a home run. The first year was probably 30% more than the numbers in the business, the next year was another 50% more, and this year we're on pace to do another 40%.”
“My customers mean everything. Without them, you and I wouldn't be talking, those guys wouldn't be working out there and I would be back in the corporate world, or more likely, cleaning pools. I know 90 % of the customers. A lot of people will listen to the ad on the radio, walk in and ask 'Where's Del?' They'll say 'I don't need work, but when we do, you're going to be our guy.'”
“My employees mean everything to me; without them I have have nothing. When I was 15 to 18, I turned wrenches. I love building street rods and motorcycles for myself. But to do it as a living – I prefer to be up front. I would rather be the boss.
“Anybody who knows me knows we do it the right way because we have the best mechanics. I'd put them up against any mechanic in town. You can walk out there at any time, and if you ask one of my mechanics a question, they'll talk to you with out any stereotypical mechanic talk. We keep a clean shop. It's the trust factor. If you're honest, respectful to the car, respectful to the people, and give a good price, you can't go wrong.”
“My mom and dad. My mother is one of the sweetest people and she loves everybody. That's where I got that from. Everybody has a different story and you have no clue by looking at somebody what they've been through in their lives.
“My dad had one full-time job and two part-time jobs. He was a butcher in his own corner grocery store. He always wanted to own his own business. I get that from him, that work ethic. My parents moved down here in 1998. Dad comes by the shop three times a week, making sure everybody's working, and gives me advice still to this day, which I love.
“I dreamed about living in Florida, which I did. I dreamed about owning my own business and I did it. It took 26 years, but I did it.”
Pull Quote
“It's the trust factor. If you're honest, respectful to the car, respectful to the people, and give a good price, you can't go wrong.”
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By the Numbers
3 Years in business
4 Employees as of September 2015
5 Employees as of September 2016
20% increase in revenue Jan. - Sept. 2016 compared to same period in 2015
44% increase in net profits Jan. - Sept. 2016 compared to same period in 2015
Started with 1 mechanic and 1 bay
Now 3 mechanics and 4 bays
