Smoky Mountain HD has done quite well here in East Tennessee.
My daughter works in their Pigeon Forge store. She informed me last night that their store is number 1 in retail HD sales in the entire World. Yeah....including all of the biggest stores.
She is quite proud of that. It is a lot from a smaller store of about 30 employees.
She just now told you that?! As of last year, they're #1 in the entire company, worldwide, my old boss, Mad Maddux is on the board of directors. (U not O, just like not Eric but Erik...)
Scott and Monet are famdamily to me.
I was hire #16 back in 2004. Knew virtually nothing about HD machines except they're V-twins, and they had about 25 or so different models. I knew most metric brands going back to the late 60's and 70's. I was "Buell Brad".
We hosted the World's Biggest Burnout, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records. I fried my tire right next to Erik. Folks in downwind areas thought a bomb had gone off or something.
I sold Vern his Uly after a useless test ride, totally wasted his time.
Thanks for sayin', Court. My 5.5 years there were quite a time... one of the best parts was getting off on Saturdays, heading over to The Shed, grabbing a cold beer and then a great show. Jason Isbell, John Hiatt, the Bottle Rockets, The Unknown Hinson, Ted Nugent, Eddie Money, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Leon Russell, Ana Popovic... Scott's as big of a music nut as he's a great dealer principal. His guitar collection will make your head explode, and Monet is coming into her own as a singer/songwriter.
They've got the formula for success down... I'd easily say they've taught the MoFoCo many new tricks.
Hey Brad! Last year was the Maryville store! This year it was Pigeon forge store's turn.
I was in that record burn out event. Tough deal on the Uly on a brand new rear tire. Even with water it damn near climbed the wall with the front brake locked down.
My other daughter, grand daughter, and younger son Tyler helped with test ride sign in. They got to spend a good portion of the day with Erik. Tyler had a great time drawing pictures for and with Erik. He has some that Erik signed in a folder.
I spent the heat of that day guiding Buell test rides. Was a hot one!
RD, that was a modified pic of me and Erik at the 2010 Homecoming. Court snapped it just as I blinked, and I'm standing under a chandelier that ended up looking like a halo or crown. Notoriously goofy pic of me... I'd have to excavate my office to find the one from the SMHD World Record Burnout.