Greg Manuel is a multi-route operator and tool dealer with Tool Warehouse out of Davie, Florida. Manuel operates throughout Fort Lauderdale and trades off routes with his son to service the Hollywood and Dania areas.
The current Tool Warehouse legacy is a family affair, as Manuel's roots in the industry run deep. Manuel's father had two trucks on the road and opened a tool store to complement his road-centric business.
"He did the store and I did the truck," Manuel says of his early beginnings. "Then I got hired away by somebody – not intentionally – and I ran another tool store for about six years."
It wasn’t always easy for Manuel to flourish within the industry. Before opening Tool Warehouse, he operated a different tool store for 16 years. As is the case with many mom and pop shops, behemoths like Amazon and eBay threatened his livelihood.
"It was just a very, very trying time," Manuel said of his original tool shop endeavor.
Selling tools proved too great for Manuel to stay away, and after his father’s passing, he ended up bringing Tool Warehouse to life in tandem with his son. The business is a hybrid mobile and brick-and-mortar operation.
Manuel's son has been running the mobile portion of Tool Warehouse's business for about three years now, which constitutes a major part of the duo's larger tool distribution landscape.
The pair currently operate a Chevrolet Kodiak C5500 truck with an 18' box. Previously, they relied on a Freightliner as well, which the pair recently sold off – now they operate one truck between them.
This one-two punch has been helpful for Manuel to attract customers. He estimates that about 65 percent of his customer base is made up of regular visitors who keep coming back thanks to his brand of customer service.
"I get new customers all the time, but I treat them fair and give them a fair deal," he says. "If something breaks, just handle it. They have a problem, and you need to fix it. I'll tell you what: If you don't, the next guy will."
This philosophy has helped Manuel cement himself as a beacon of reliability. It's more challenging than ever to keep visitors from immediately looking for a cheaper solution. Instant gratification is king, and nowhere is it seen more clearly than with mobile tool distributors.
Manuel directly combats this behavior by reminding customers of the convenience and peace of mind they get from purchasing items via his tool truck.
"We have it now, we have it there where you can touch it, and you can feel it,” says Manuel of his stock. “With Amazon, you can't do that.”
This ever-changing industry means that Manuel and Tool Warehouse must constantly adapt. This includes stocking the right products based on what customers request, but as Manuel notes, there isn't one single category of goods his regulars ask for.
"It's a mix from one day to the next," he says. "It might be electronics one week, and then the next it's everyday sockets, wrenches, and other regular tools. It's different, all the time."
The industry can be tumultuous, as Manuel has seen firsthand, but he enjoys working with this son and making things easier for his customers. Whether it’s helping them with problems or satisfying their everyday needs, he’s always happy to lend a hand.
"It's a great business," he says. "It's rewarding to make sales and I enjoy the store aspect as much as I do the truck, to be honest. I enjoy seeing the customers and trying to solve their problems because I love challenges."
