Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

How many on the forum run their own vac shop, and what brands do you sell and service.

Hows business?

Is your service department picking up the slack for very low sales?

Are you getting the feeling that its only becoming a hobby?

Hows this for a owners perspective, Business is  great when i started i had nothing ,Now i owe 200 grand.......

regards

MOLE

It is good you brought this question to the group. I am 74 still in very good health but trying to retire from work. Repairing building and taking things apart has long been a hobby and have worked on many vacs since aBout 1950 when mom had a Filter Queen. Since last October I have worked on three Bissell's, two Hoover commercials, a Fantom Twister 700LX Bagless and yesterday acquired a Hoover 5018-900 and a Kirby G4. All this work is taking the place of my work outdoors as an arborist by aerial lift platform. Our winter has been rough since mid-November so I took work indoors and saddled myself with the above. No, it has not been profitable yet. I do not stock parts yet. There is no competition in our little town of 3,000 and incomes are pretty low here in Mountain View, Arkansas. I am, thankful for the Internet. My tree service began in 1998 and is still part time due to weather; $70,000 in equipment and tools, close to 700 accounts and no debt other than a newer (2005) Toyota Tacoma. In the Ozarks of north Arkansas a person must be diversified or spend little to make it. I hope other readers will chime in their two cents on this topic.

I collect old vacuums, mainly canisters from Panasonic, Kenmore and Electrolux.  Any dealers have some old Kenmore straight hoses or hose ends I could buy?  I have a couple of mid 80s Kenmore budget canisters that used a unique straight end hose with the hose clip on the side of the hose end and some older '60s and '70s canisters I need hoses and hose parts for.  I never know what is hanging around some vacuum shops back room/bone yard unless I ask.  Thanks.