Page 46 - YourSource November 2016

DEALER FEATURE
EAST COAST APPLIANCE: A TALE OF DETERMINATION AND HARD WORK
Many of us might dismiss the idea of repairing used appliances and selling them for a profit. The prospect of lifting a heavy, possibly broken, washer or dryer into a truck and attempting to get it running again, is hardly anyone’s idea of a business opportunity. However, if you were Rob Nicholson in the late 1980’s, you saw the future in the promise of the retail appliance industry.
or stove. Inadvertently, Rob laid the groundwork for what would become East Coast Appliance, the largest independent appliance dealer in Virginia.
Today, East Coast Appliance is a far cry from its humble beginnings in a storage shed. Rob, president and owner, is no longer eying the roadsides for potential fixer uppers. Rather, he is the owner of a successful retail appliance chain with three
Fresh from a 4-year
stint as a signalman in
the U.S. Navy and saddled
with $10,000 in credit card
debt, Rob took a 6-month
long class in appliance
maintenance. Armed with
a superior work ethic,
determination, and his new
education in mechanics,
Rob started his business
by picking up those discarded appliances on the side of the road, fixing them, and then selling them to customers out of his storage shed. By day, he worked at a grocery store, while at night, he labored to fix those broken machines for growing numbers seeking a bargain on a refurbished washer/dryer, refrigerator,
showroom locations and one “Builder Direct” store, all in Virginia. Since the company’s founding in 1988, the size of Rob’s stores have grown considerably, from small retail outlets to veritable superstores, such as his Virginia Beach location, which boasts 40,000 square feet of space
46 YOURSOURCE NOVEMBER 2016
We need to be everywhere they are. The only thing worse than being next door to your competition is not being next door to your competition.
~ Rob Nicholson
for sales and inventory. Rob has also diversified his business to offer new, scratch & dent, and refurbished appliances to his customers. The evolution of his business from small amateur repair operation to retail appliance heavyweight is a true success story but not one without its share of obstacles.