J U M P S TA R T
Duncan’s European Automotive BY CLAIRE PETERSON P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y F LY L I S T E D
SHOP S TAT S Owner: Ben Duncan Location: Londonderry, N.H. Size: 4,500 square feet Staff Size: 9 Average Monthly Car Count: 250 Annual Revenue: $2 million
FROM THE GROUND UP Within the last year, Duncan’s European Automotive has undergone quite the transformation with a full slate of upgrades and renovations to the shop’s workspace, including the addition of epoxy floors—an investment that also became a branding opportunity. The shop’s now gleaming off-white work floors sport the shop’s logo at center stage. “It’s part of the image that we like to convey of our business where it’s not just another garage that’s dark and dusty, and I think customers really respond to that,” says service manager Josh Mercer. The new flooring helps the shop shine and the room feel brighter, and also makes the shop much easier to clean. The shop’s team actually regularly uses a floor scrubber to keep the floor spotless. “It’s just little upgrades like that that keep the place looking bright and new,” Mercer says.
SPACE TO HANG Through its renovations, the Duncan’s team also transformed its old office space into a comfy customer lounge, adding air conditioning, comfortable chairs, a coffee machine and a mini fridge to the mix. The shop offers free Wi-Fi, but the lounge now also offers customers plenty of charging stations for those who want to work remotely while they wait. “It’s all an effort to improve the experience for both our employees and our customers, so that it’s just a nice, bright, positive atmosphere people want to be in” Mercer says. 16 / R + W / 12 . 21
