Kevin Adkerson is a multi-route operator and tool dealer with the GEARWRENCH Street Team out of St. Peters, Missouri. Adkerson operates throughout and around the St. Louis area. His longest-operated route goes through downtown St. Louis. Another route goes through North St. Louis County, and his newest route covers St. Charles and St. Peters.
One dealer alone can’t cover all this territory – and as such, Adkerson grew his business from his solo route to running a family business with his wife and his brother.
Adkerson’s brother operates the downtown St. Louis route in a ’99 International 4700 with a 24’ box. His wife runs the North St. Louis County route with a 2010 Workhorse step van. Adkerson himself operates the St. Charles / St. Peters route in a 2017 Ford F650 with a 22’ box.
Before selling wrenches, Adkerson was turning them. Previously a technician at a Ford dealership in the St. Charles area for eight years, he then worked as a technician at another Ford dealership in St. Louis County for three years. During his time as a tech, he became very familiar with two dealers that worked for the same flag.
One day, Adkerson stepped on the tool truck and asked about the tool distributing business.
“And it was about six weeks later … I owned a [tool] truck,” Adkerson says.
Adkerson got started after buying a truck and route from a dealer under a flag whom he had been doing business with for years. Adkerson ran that route and flag for about four years on his own before he and his wife saw the potential to expand the business.
“When my wife decided to get into the business, we went independent at that point in time. We switched over to the Street Team,” he says.
It wasn’t long before the family business expanded yet again and the Adkerson clan was running three routes throughout the area. There are several reasons for the family’s success – one of which was establishing each dealer’s specialty.
“Mom and pop shops [are] where the money’s at,” Adkerson says. “My new route is a lot of mom and pop shops, and that’s where I always found I do way better off. My brother runs a lot of big truck shops and some equipment shops. My wife, on her route, runs a lot of dealerships. So, between the three routes, we’ve got a wide range, and each route has its own specialty.”
Another aspect of Adkerson’s success is the teamwork and communication between the three trucks.
“My trucks are fully stocked,” Adkerson says. “If it’s not on one truck, it’s on one of the other trucks. We communicate really well. Anybody can get anything off the other trucks.”
Adkerson also credits his stocking success to his supplier, Medco, who he uses for all three trucks. His supplier further facilitated his business to continue operating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as well. Adkerson says he could coordinate drop-ships directly to customers as social distancing guidelines boxed many dealers out of shop visits.
The number one thing Adkerson takes pride in about his family business is the team’s service, the major reason to which he attributes his success.
“My big thing has always been selling service,” Adkerson says. “I’m not selling tools. Anybody can buy tools anywhere. My success has always come down to, and I’ve instilled this in my wife and my brother, we’re not there to sell as much as we are there to service. I think that’s why I have been as successful as I have, and my wife and my brother, too. We don’t go in there and push tools. We’re there to service the tools and provide the guys the trust that we’re going to be there for them when it’s done.”
Adkerson’s emphasis on service allows his family business to stand out from other tool-purchasing options available to his customers. Further, service is something Adkerson advises all dealers, new and old, emphasize to reach the younger generation of technicians who readily rely on online purchasing options.
Adkerson also understands his customers’ unique needs, having been in their shoes before, such as quickly returning tools after servicing them.
“I think the fact that I was a mechanic before and know how valuable that tool was for me to have and when I didn’t have that tool it was hurting my production … So, for them [my customers], I get the tool back to them as soon as I can,” Adkerson says of his tool servicing timeliness.
For Adkerson, selling tools isn’t a numbers game. He attributes his success to his family’s ability to go above and beyond for their customers, providing unmatched service.
“I know my numbers could be better if I wanted to push tools … but I’m doing really good numbers. I’m more than happy with that,” Adkerson concludes. “I’ve been able to expand to three trucks, and I feel comfortable with every product I sell.”
