Man, how time flies! It seems like only yesterday that we were hauling wood and hay bales to Mustang's 40th Anniversary in Tenessee for our Texas-themed display, or cutting the ribbon at the Grand Opening of our current location back in 2003 (Our prior accomodations basically being a couple of barns in Robinson, Texas). We have seen the boom's of new industry...and the aftermath's of a recession. Through it all we have profited from knowledge, strengthened our relationships with our customers and staff, and have grown to become a living success story in the automotive restoration & performance business.
Making Dreams a Reality...
A lot happened in those first four years. The owner, Shannon Guderian, started the company out of a 2-car rented garage with a phone and fax line. His idea: To be the largest supplier of restoration components for 1979 and newer Mustangs. He started Latemodel Restoration Supply in 1999 by brokering a few key restoration items to larger Mustang outfits.
The operation was profitable, and soon expanded to a size that the 2-car stall couldn't bear. Adding a couple of employees and growing the product line led to a 1/3-page black-and-white ad in Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords in 2001 selling restoration parts for Fox body Mustangs on the retail level. Business soared from that little ad. Timing was right. Customers were looking for an outlet to purchase lights, weatherstripping, body and interior parts for thier 5.0 Mustangs. Our first real catalog followed soon after, as well as larger color ads, and the expansion into performance parts and offerings for the 1994-98 vehicles, and the then-new 1999+ body style Mustangs
Movin' on up...
The Robinson barn-move helped to store all the new parts and employees,
and business was on the rise. The LRS team was really starting to come
together and everyone had their eyes on the future. The two buildings
now housed a seperate sales area, showroom, and an efficient
distribution warehouse. All these aspects combined to provide quicker
and better service for all.
Building the new LRS...
As well oiled as our machine had become, a lack of space led us to shift the business to its current location in Hewitt, Tx in the fall of 2003. The 25,000 square foot facility gave us the much-needed room for about 7,000 part numbers. An all new 1,800 sq ft showroom was built which would be home to a few of LRS's show and track cars including our 1979 Mustang Pace Car, 1995 Cobra R, and 2000 Cobra R. Needless to say, the move was tedious. Transporting thousands of parts, equipment, and supplies across town with trailers, moving trucks, and employee vehicles proved to be a daunting task. Overall, the move was a great step foward and the ample room would be more than enough for future expansions. Mustang parts operation had grown to encompass 1979-04 Mustang restoration, styling and performance parts.
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly...
2004 marked a turning point for Latemodel Restoration. The year marked the 40th anniversary of the Mustang, as well as a new high-point for our business. The move to our new facility translated into another milestone in the expansion of sales. This expansion came with a price. Growing pains were felt with the increasing number of employees and overhead. With the big 40th production and the addition of more products, times were a bit chaotic. The addition of our "CKResto" full-size Chevy/GMC truck line didn't help the chaos.
We came away with a lot of knowledge from that year. We learned how to become more efficient, offer better service, grow our vehicle offering, and how not to haul wood to an event in Tennessee (if you didn't see this, it was a spectacle! Imagine about 2 tons of lumber on a flat-bed behind a Lightning - not pretty!) Our product offering continued to grow, our C/K line was becoming viable and had expanded to include newer 1999-2005 GM full size vehicles, and the initial sting of the move and the 40th was finally wearing off.
Full Steam Ahead!
The addition of the all new S197 Mustang in 2005 was a pivotal point in Mustang history, and a boost to our industry. Aftermarket support continues to be strong for these cars. They performed well, and had a whole new customer base. Enthusiasts who hadn't owned a Mustang since the 60's could appreciate the retro styling of the new car. There's little argument that the S197 cars were a welcome chapter in the book of Mustang. We certainly embraced the new Mustang and the opportunities that came from it. Now that the car is a few years old, we're really seeing how well it fits the Mustang enthusiasts, and how versatile the platform is.
2006-2008 brought us more and more products for our beloved Fox Mustangs, 1994-98 Mustangs, and new edge 'Stangs. Our growing inventory and the popularity of our wheel and tire packages had forced the construction of a new 100x60 warehouse which expanded our facilities to 30,000 square feet. Our product line swelled to 30,000 part numbers with the addition of more C/K truck parts, as well as the addition of the new Dodge Challenger, Ford F-Series, and Dodge Ram products.
Unfortunately, this era also brought outrageous gas prices and a weak economy for most of the country. We saw the loss of some competetiors, and the emergance of new ones. LRS wanted to help our customers. We realized people still wanted the opportunity to restore and modify their vehicles but may not have been able to. So we began offering new programs such as our layaway, elayaway, and flat rate shipping promotions to help our customers save money and still get the parts they need and want.
10 Years and counting...
October 2009 marks our official 10-year birthday. Now with the addition of products for the new 2010 Mustang & Camaro, our product line is more dynamic than ever! It has been a great ride this past decade, and we are eagerly looking forward to the next 10, 20, or 30 years. Who knows what the future will hold for the automotive industry, the Ford Mustang, and all of the other vehicles in our restoration & performance parts lineup. You can count on us being here to find out, and provide you with the service and products that you've come to expect from Latemodel Restoration Supply!
For more pictures of our 10-year long journey, check out our Flickr photostream! You can also help us celebrate our ten years at our 10th Anniversary Celebration at Texas Motorplex November 14, 2009!
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