Lagging Economy Helps Florida Landscape Equipment Retailer Expand

Sarlo Power Mowers, the lawn mower and lawn care equipment manufacturer and retailer, has been a Fort Myers, Fla., fixture for 73 years, with only one retail outlet and plant.

Now, the company has expanded into North Naples, Fla.

Co-owner Tony Sarlo said that with the economic slide, many people have left their previous professions to start lawn maintenance companies, which means buying equipment, and that some people have been buying lawn care equipment after dropping their lawn service to economize.

The expansion south had been contemplated for some time, with several locations considered. But it was a well-timed coincidence and two years of surprisingly robust sales at the Fort Myers store that prompted them to act, said Sarlo, who co-owns the business with his wife, Eloise.

Sometime around June 1, the couple heard through the grapevine that a former employee, Tony Myers, was about to close the North Naples lawn mower sales and repair shop he co-owned, Mowers Inc. A few days later, the Sarlos and Myers met and hammered out a purchase agreement. A little more than a week later, Mowers Inc. had been transformed into a Sarlo Power Mowers store.

"It was smooth, it was quick," Tony Sarlo said of the transition. "Usually we look three times and only jump once, but this was an opportunity."

Myers is the new store's manager and four of his former employees have rejoined him on the staff.

Sarlo Power Mowers was founded in 1925 by Tony Sarlo's grandfather Anthony, who invented the high-wheel, walk-behind mower, which is known for its superior maneuverability. The company's product line, which also includes hand-held and walk-behind string trimmers, is manufactured at its Fort Myers plant. The retail store also carries mowers from a variety of top manufacturers, including Kawasaki, Briggs & Stratton and Exmark, for residential and commercial use.

Steadily increasing retail sales over the last two fiscal years left the Sarlos believing now was the time to expand.

They said sales for the fiscal year that ended May 31 were roughly $2 million, a 27-percent increase over the previous fiscal year, which also surpassed the prior year.

"We feel that we're blessed that we're in a circumstance that has not only maintained, but been able to grow," said Tony Sarlo. "So it gave us the extra confidence to make a move like that. If we were suffering diminished business, I think we would have thought twice about it."

The retail sales increase left the couple pleased, but puzzled, so they researched the trend and found that 33 percent of those new sales were first-time customers. They were surprised, Tony Sarlo said, "because we weren't confident this was the best location, here in downtown Fort Myers."

Subsequent calls were made to those new customers for a satisfaction survey, which included asking why they chose Sarlo. The responses turned up name recognition as the top reason, the store's location as reason No. 2 and Internet searches for the name brands stocked at the store as the third reason.

Commercial customers had historically been the Naples store's focus, something that will not change initially, but broadening the nets to capture the local residential market is in the plans, the Sarlos said.

Having the store there also enables Sarlo Powers to broaden its service to commercial customers who may be based in Lee County, but have many clients in Collier County, they said.

Jose Centrone, owner of Centrone Lawn Maintenance, is one of those customers.

He said all of his clients are in Collier and he's pleased to have a business he's patronized for 15 years closer to his operational focal point. "When you break down, you don't have time to be messing around," he said. "You need a part and the part is there in stock."

Business is off to a booming start at the new location, Tony Sarlo said.