Midas franchise
| by Tristan Wiggill
Colourful
crowd
Rainbow Midas in Louis Trichardt is a family affair and highly
➲ The shop is seen and loved by locals and tourists in
equal measure
successful spares franchise operating in the Limpopo province.
Family is very important to us
and we will always be grateful for the
many years of support and commitment
from Uncle George toward the Midas brand.
Planning for the future has been important
to him, so by building a solid foundation
he has ensured that his children can follow
in his footsteps and continue to grow within
the Midas family.
- Gerhard Braun; Midas franchise director
➲ George has no plans to retire and continues to pass down his
knowledge to his family
O
wner and long-time Midas
supporter, George Boyd, has
been happily “married” to the
Midas group since the early 1980s and,
like a loyal husband, has no reason to
leave - or retire for that matter. Speaking
of wedded bliss, George employs his
two daughters and his two sons-inlaw on a full-time basis, as well as a
granddaughter and grandson. “You’ve
got to look after your children,” he says
affectionately. Apart from his immediate
off-spring and their other halves,
Rainbow Midas employs a total of some
39 people who all work in harmony in the
1 000 square metre building.
George is a busy man, overseeing the
running of Rainbow Midas and three
other Midas branches in Limpopo as
well. These include Rissik Street Midas;
Elim Midas and Nzhelele Midas. Two
of the four stores under his guidance
are situated in Louis Trichardt, with the
Rainbow branch in his capable hands for
the past 15 years.
“We specialise purely in automotive parts
and accessories,” he says, avoiding the
distraction of diversification. “Business
has changed dramatically over the years…
when I started here there were only two
spares shops in competition to us – today
there are 16 or 17.”
George says he appreciates the fact that
Midas head office staff pay the shop v isits
from time to time and interacts with him
and the business.
He has developed an innovative approach
to parts delivery and job creation, with
two bicycles used to transport the lighter,
fast-moving stock to nearby workshops
and private individuals. The company also
uses a more traditional delivery vehicle for
out-of-town deliveries.
Much of the business in the once thriving
farming community comes from informal
mechanics and roadside “technicians.”
The leisure market is also well supported,
with camping and outdoor equipment
| words in action
52
june 2014
popular choices among those going to
the nearby Kruger National Park and other
game reserves.
Despite this massive spike in competition,
the Midas brand has kept him at the front
of the pack. “Midas is a big concern.
Everyone wants a slice of the spares
cake and the reality is the slices are
getting smaller and smaller but Midas is
a household name and one of the best
established.
The most important aspects
are customer’s service and
keen pricing. Most of our
customers are shopping on
price, although some do ask
for certain brands. At the end
of the day, affordability is
paramount in Louis Trichardt,”
he says.