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Local entrepreneurs in the zone with cell phone storesMay 23, 2009 (Connecticut Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Six and growing. That's the number of Wireless Zone franchises owned by a Darien-based business, and more are on the way. William Stout and Tamar Bundy, both of Stamford, and Jonah Engler, of Brooklyn, N.Y., developed one of the largest Wireless Zone franchise operations after Stout and Engler opened their first store in Darien in May 2008. Joined two months later by Bundy, they have opened stores in Westport, New Canaan, Southbury, Greenwich and Rye, N.Y. Their seventh and eighth stores are scheduled to open next month in Denville, N.J., and Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., with a Marlboro, N.J., location anticipated by August. The stores specialize in Verizon equipment. "We target areas that are not only high-income. People in these areas appreciate customer service. They go out and tell their friends and family," said Stout, who grew up with his partners in Brooklyn and manages the stores with Bundy. Engler, who has a background as a stockbroker, keeps a close hand on the financial end of the business. Stout, 29, has been involved in the retail cell-phone business for about a decade. He said it was time for him to move from being a manager to being a business owner. He and his partners realized that Wireless Zone, based in Middletown, provided that opportunity, he said. "They were growing rapidly nationally and were well-respected. We wanted to go with a bigger corporate structure," Stout said. As friends, he and his partners have been able to disagree on business strategy but discuss their differences and come up with answers that all three can accept, he said. "We've butted heads and come to a decision. There are times that we're frustrated, but I wouldn't change it for the world. We all played baseball together, so we have that teamwork perspective," he said. The trio has not been deterred by the slow economy, making judicious decisions in its targeted locations. "We've grown faster than any Wireless Zone franchise in the first year. By the end of July, we'll have about 28 employees," Stout said, adding that Engler scouts the locations. "We haven't hit a point yet where we made a bad decision." Engler and Middletown-based Automotive Technologies Inc., parent of Wireless Zone, have been the principal suppliers of funding to expand the franchise. Jeff Panella, vice president of operations for Wireless Zone, said he has been impressed by the trio's business savvy and rapid expansion of stores. "They know how to take care of their customers. They understand the wireless and retail industries," he said. Wireless Zone advises franchise holders on the location of their stores, using demographic guidelines developed by Verizon, Panella said. It is not uncommon for franchisors to assist franchise owners in financing an operation, said Alisa Harrison, a spokeswoman for the International Franchise Association. "Franchising as a model is a great way to expand a business," she said. "In this environment, we've been advocating that now is the time to buy a franchise. It's small business that's creating jobs." To see more of the Connecticut Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.connpost.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |