Jerry Kohn began molding the Corvette Central business by making his own, high-quality Corvette parts. Disappointed with the poor quality, and sometimes the complete lack of needed parts, he decided to forge his own way into the Corvette world. What began as a passion for quality parts has now grown into a booming, quality Corvette business.
Horizon Bank spoke with Matt Gessler, the Marketing Manager for Corvette Central to give us more insight into the business.
Tell us a little about your business.
Corvette Central is one of the leading parts manufacturers for all generations of the Chevy Corvette. The company was started in 1975 by founder Jerry Kohn and his son, Scott. Jerry was a tool and die man and had a vintage Corvette. He was looking for specific replacement parts for a 1958 Corvette grille and couldn’t find ones that were suitable to his car’s needs. Kohn started to wonder if he should make his own parts. He found a suitable 1958 grille, and started the die casting process. He later decided to display the grille teeth for fellow Corvette owners to see at a few shows, and ended up getting an overwhelming demand for them. It was then he started taking orders and Corvette Central was ultimately formed. Corvette Central produces parts for classic Corvettes. The business has grown to stocking and manufacturing over 50,000 different Corvette parts.
What sets your business apart?
We have the highest quality Corvette parts available. Customers come to us for the best reproduction parts for restoring cars. We not only have a large selection of parts, but also the greatest quality selection on the market. We also offer a variety of different accessories like car care items, books and apparel, which are extremely popular during this time of year.
Small businesses present challenges. What are some challenges you have faced?
The market is impervious recently to the downturn of the economy. A couple years ago, Corvette Central had some flat years due to the economic downturn. Recently, we have seen increased sales even though the market has remained flat. Another challenge we face is the time it takes to source the absolute best Corvette parts. One of the co-owners is in charge of most of our sourcing and it’s a long process. Creating and finding quality Corvette parts takes time and patience, but that is what our business is built on; quality. We thrive on customer feedback and take customer care very seriously.
Why did you decide to do business with Horizon Bank?
Horizon Bank has an extremely professional staff that adds a personal touch to our business banking. The bank cares about our business and wants to see us succeed. Like us, the bank has the highest quality of products and services. They offer local support and are very capable and experienced.
Want to learn more about Corvette Central? Visit their website today.