Last year’s Jobber of the Year has a new owner.
The deal for the Orillia, Ontario-based jobber closed on Dec. 10. It was owned by Steve Van Kessel and Sue Peacock, who has taken over the business from their father, Peter Van Kessel. Peter purchased the store in 1966.
Parry Automotive was started by husband-and-wife duo John and Edith Parry. They opened what was then an automotive machine shop in 1948. Peter joined the company in 1956 before buying the company.
“We are very happy to welcome the talented, experienced team at Parry into the Ideal family under the continued leadership of Steve Van Kessel,” said Howie Pruden, vice president and general manager of Ideal Supply.
“It was apparent very early in the discussions that Parry’s culture and values are in step with Ideal Supply.”
He noted that the Parry Automotive name will stay and be marketed as a subsidiary of Ideal Supply.
“We are proud to have the Parry Automotive brand and legacy carry on, and with the support of our new ownership, we are excited for all of the success that this new relationship will bring,” said Steve.
It was just last year when Jobber News selected Parry Automotive as its Jobber of the Year.
“So much of our success is because of our team. We really believe that; it’s the culture here,” Steve said. “This was like nothing we had ever seen in the past. Generally, there’s always something you can refer to as the go-to; this was as difficult as can be to figure out how we were going to proceed and keep our staff feeling one hundred per cent safe, while giving the best level of service that we could give.”
The store value its relationship not just with its customers, but internally with its staff to ensure a cohesive and well-oiled machine.
“The foundation of our culture is exhibiting the utmost professionalism while enjoying each day with each other and with our clients,” Steve said. “They have really pulled together in these trying times with all of the challenges of the pandemic. Not all things can always be handled on the spot, so when things do need to escalate, we always have immediate management support, guidance, or mentorship to help bring resolve as quickly as possible. The quicker things get looked after, the more success we all have together.”
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