HARD work has certainly paid off for one Fermanagh man who turned his passion for cars and eye for detail into a successful career and business.
‘BH Tyres and Alloys’ has gone from strength to strength in just a short period of time and at the helm of its ongoing success is Monea man and rally enthusiast Brian Hoy.
Carrying around 3,000 tyres and over 100 sets of wheels, this local business goes above and beyond to cater to every customers individual needs.
“Starting out I would have never expected to be in the position that I’m in today. Having support from the local community has just been great, and my business wouldn’t be the same without it,” explained Brian.
“By moving into the alloy business I was able to branch out of Fermanagh. In fact lockdown was an extremely beneficial time for me.
“People who would usually spend £150 over the weekend socialising couldn’t do that during lockdown, instead people were at home saving and had the opportunity to save and gather up the price of a new alloy or tyre.
“We actually noticed when the pubs and restaurants opened and when people were able to get away on holidays again, we probably slowed down a bit from the busy lockdown rush.
“It was actually at the start of the first lockdown when we properly started to sell the wheels and properly set-up.
“When the localised restrictions came in from Boxing Day it that meant that my car wash service was closed from then until April 12.
“I had always mentioned the idea of expanding the business and concentrating more on the wheels and tyres to my father who has always helped me a lot.
“He told me that this was my chance and if it was going to work then this would be the perfect opportunity to find out.
“Thankfully I’ve came out the other side of it and I absolutely love the work that I’m doing at the minute.
“It’s the little things like seeing a customer walk away happy with themselves and the purchase that makes it all worthwhile.”
Speaking on the positive impact that cross-border trade has had on his local business and his plans for the future, Brian told the Herald, “It seems that materials on this side of the border are a lot cheaper than stuff from the South.
“I would say about 80 percent of my alloy business comes from across the border. However, 95 percent of my tyre sales would be directly in Fermanagh.
“Hopefully in the future I can build on this by increasing my stock and also building more of an online presence which is something I wouldn’t be used to.
“Having previously spent the vast part of my career outside through washing cars and being very practical and hands-on, I always thought that going home soaked meant a good days work.
“I always thought that sitting in an office meant that I wasn’t doing anything, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. I quickly realised the importance of working behind the scenes in a business and I learned that if products aren’t advertised then they aren’t going to sell.
“It’s also important to keep up-to-date with what people want. You could spend a full day dealing with a client trying to make sure that things suit them because there is a lot of work to it.”
Brian added, “We’re flat out and it’s just great to see. I have clients come from all over and it’s great to put Fermanagh on the map. The last docket I wrote out was to an address in Co Kerry, it’s just unbelievable how word spreads, even to clients in other parts of the UK.
“We’re happy with the way everything is going and it’s important to keep moving with the times. I think it’s a good thing to always move on to something different, if you just sit still that’s when you start going backwards.”
With fitting available on site and delivery to anywhere in Ireland and the UK, customers can contact Brian on 07923161013 for all enquires and repair services or alternatively visit ‘BH Tyres and Alloys’ via Facebook.
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