Car care rivals will share a garage to save money

Contact info

Integrity: (513) 727-0202

Meineke: (513) 727-8191

MIDDLETOWN — When you take your car to the shop on 1320 Elliott Drive, you really will be able to get everything under one roof.

In an unusual business move, two competitors — the owners of the local Meineke Car Care and Integrity Automotive & Tire, a Goodyear dealer — are teaming up to cut costs.

As of Monday, Jan. 4, Meineke will move from its location on Breiel Boulevard to Elliott Drive.

The building, which is owned by Pete Esposito, owner of Meineke, said by combining resources, both shops will be able to save an average of $2,000 a month in building expenses and equipment.

It’s a “story of survival in Middletown,” Esposito said as he and Phil Quellhorst, owner of Integrity, agreed that the economy has taken a toll on sales.

“People are doing less preventive maintenance on their cars because they are out of work. And if you look at all the car-related businesses that have gone out — Jiffy Lube, Car-X, the Score dealership, Kmart — I think we are surviving. But this is about long-term survival.”

Esposito invested about $40,000 to add another office to the building so Meineke and Integrity each have their own customer space.

An “invisible wall” separates the bays inside, and each business is restricted to their half. Both have two mechanics who will work exclusively for their brand; there will be no sharing of supplies or staff.

Despite the obvious divide indicated by the paint on the building and the different employee uniforms, what makes the partnership work in a competitive market is the owners’ relationship.

Quellhorst was Esposito’s service manager before branching off into a business of his own. Both have shared customers in the past, and plan to do the same in their new space.

“This is a friendly competitor situation,” Quellhorst said. “If somebody needs something right now, it’s a nice option that you have someone you trust and know the quality of their work that can help customers get out quick, which is what they want.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.