HEAD MOTOR CO. Steve & Stuart Head, Owners
S
teve and Stuart Head are in it for the fun with their latest venture. “The motorcycle side of the auto business is so much fun,” says Stuart Head. “There’s definitely a fun factor.” The Head brothers plunged into the motorcycle market last fall, shortly after they sold their Kia franchise to Dan and Chris Kellar and Morgan Automotive Group. Longtime bike enthusiasts, the brothers kept an eye on Indian
42
I
INSIDE COLUMBIA’S CEO
I
SPRING 2016
motorcycles. Finally, they convinced Indian to take a look at them. After the Kia sale closed on Sept. 1, they turned to rearranging their remaining car lot a few blocks away on the Business Loop, making room for motorcycles with the used cars. They remodeled the showroom to meet Indian’s requirements, and began stocking the motorcycles in late November. “It’s been fun ever since,” Head says. “Test drives are great, because I get to hop on another bike and go riding with the
customer. Sunny days are good for business.” The twin brothers (Steve is four minutes older) grew up in the auto business. Their father, Richard Head, opened Head Motor Co. in downtown Columbia in 1960. He moved his business to 400 Business Loop 70 W. in the mid-’60s. For years, Head Motor Co. was the No. 1 independent auto dealer in central Missouri, Stuart says. From 1971 to 1981, the dealership held a Toyota franchise. In 1998, the Heads acquired a Kia franchise, and for the first