» To make room for more vehicles and make power sourc- es more accessible, Handcrafted Car Audio moved to a space that included both options in the install bay.
» Display space was a big factor during Hancrafted’s move, with the new space providing ample room to display large signage, products and fabrication templates.
The current location gives Kowanetz improved efficiency as well as more room to work and grow. Air and power lines are “right where we work, so we don’t have to drag cords around. The power supply has a quick-disconnect so we can keep the battery charged while we work on a customer’s car.”
» Prior to Handcrafted Car Audio, the first “shop” Jon Kowanetz worked out of was his garage back in 2007.
“was a strain because our whole world was torn apart. Every- thing was in boxes; we were chasing down product more than trying to sell things,” Fuchs said. “There was more stuff than I ever realized. We took about 18 loads to the shop and five or six to the landfill.” He scaled back business during the move by using one service
bay for packing and closed for three days for the actual move. “The new building was ready to go when we moved. The major expense was buying the guys food and drink; there was lots of beer and pizza!” Moving a shop can also help save money in the long run. “We epoxyed and tinted the floors in the new space, which
was expensive but was an investment because it will last a long time,” said Kowanetz of Handcrafted Car Audio. Kowanetz used a contractor so he and his employees could continue to focus on “doing what we do.” While the contractor’s bill was higher than the original estimate, he saved money by having built everything to be easily movable. “Everything in the shop was on wheels.”
18 Mobile Electronics June 2014
Making it Safe One benefit of moving is the opportunity to improve secu-
rity. At SRQ, “we put ADT systems and motion detectors in both locations,” Pepsin said. “I had heard horror stories from other people who were ripped off and their insurance companies were no help. I designed a passive system and moved our inventory to the second floor (of the old space) with a narrow, steep staircase that was very hard to maneuver” to make it harder for anyone to get to anything worth stealing or get away with items if they did get that far. At the new site for Handcrafted Car Audio, Kowanetz put in a full-featured security system with triggers on every door, including inventory; glass-break sensors; a touch panel that “announces when anything opens”; 8 mm thick, motion-acti- vated security film on the front glass that darkens and keeps the windows together even after impact, so vandals can’t cut through it; and a full-on video recording system. It can all be controlled via smartphone.
Rules and Regulations One aspect of a move that can cost big bucks and take up time
beforehand is dealing with permits and regulations. Before finaliz- ing a move and making any improvements to the new space, check with local authorities about needing permits to use the space or do
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