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Business is booming at The BBQ Depot because its owners offer some of the best products and service in the industry.
Written
Amanda Daus Photography by Jon Gorr
The BBQ Depot in Hollywood, Fla., is unlike any other grill retailer. Not only does it sell and install a wide range of grills and outdoor kitchens, but it holds the licenses required to repair gas grills, maintains a large inventory of gas-grill parts that are shipped all over the world and operates a successful online business. “We are probably one of the largest full-service barbecue retailers in the country,” Tracy Hollander, marketing director, says. All one has to do is visit the company’s 10,000–square-foot showroom or grill/parts warehouse to understand that The BBQ Depot is a major player among independent retailers in the barbecue industry.
Located in Southern Florida, where competition to sell outdoor kitchens and barbecue equipment is stiff, The BBQ Depot (originally known as Liberty Gas & Grill) has been selling grills since 1956. Hollander stresses that The BBQ Depot is a rarity in the marketplace because of its master qualifier gas licenses to repair grills.
“It’s amazing how many people sell gas products, but don’t have the licenses required to service them,” Hollander says. Due to its staff’s vast knowledge of grill construction, The BBQ Depot finds that many of the manufacturers that it represents request specifically that The BBQ Depot handle their warranty work. “Sometimes, we even get questions directly from the manufacturers, asking for our opinion about a repair or other problem,” Hollander says.
The Right Grill
Hollander points out that one of the reasons for The BBQ Depot’s success is that it doesn’t concentrate entirely on selling barbecue products, focusing instead on helping customers find the right products for their lifestyles. Because of its location, The BBQ Depot recognizes that barbecuing is a year-round, well-loved pursuit for most Floridians.
According to Hollander, however, people need to assess their lifestyles before they purchase high-end grills, since they often make purchases only to find that the novelty of the product wears off within a few months. The BBQ Depot helps customers prevent such inappropriate purchases by assessing their lifestyles and then helping them select the right grills.
“I look at their lifestyles: what they do, how often they have parties and whether they are beer or wine drinkers,” Hollander says. “All of these questions factor into purchasing a grill, since the transition from inside cooking to outdoor cooking should be seamless.”
Hollander adds that many customers come into the store shopping for a giant grill, with all the bells and whistles, because they view it as a powerful status symbol. “I’ll ask them why they want to make such a purchase, when the size of their family is small and they don’t entertain much,” she says. Hollander is a big fan of smaller, higher-quality grills, which are often better suited for many customers’ lifestyles.
Promotion Pays
Even though The BBQ Depot has such a loyal customer base and is located prominently just off Interstate 95 (Florida’s major highway), Hollander recognizes the importance of consistent advertising to attract new customers and ensure that former customers keep returning. “We own our building and the land it’s built on, but that’s not enough in today’s competitive marketplace,” she says.
Since The BBQ Depot is such a specialized retailer, it has relied heavily on targeted marketing strategies. “We advertise in home-design magazines, mailers and local newspapers (if they have a special home section),” Hollander says. Word of mouth also plays a major role in the retailer’s promotional efforts. “Since we’ve been around since 1956, we have strong name recognition,” she says, adding that manufacturers frequently refer customers to The BBQ Depot.
In recent years, advertising with Internet search engines has also brought considerable visibility to The BBQ Depot. According to Hollander, online advertising is the primary reason that The BBQ Depot has generated overseas business.
Product Selection
Although The BBQ Depot carries an extensive line of grills and accessories (including products from Big Green Egg, Robert H. Peterson Company, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, Minden Grill and TEC), it consistently evaluates its products and manufacturer support in order to offer customers the best merchandise available in the industry. “Sometimes, we find that certain manufacturers are not what they used to be in terms of the products and service they offer,” Hollander says. “In those cases, we’ll replace those products with new products.”
Florida’s climate also plays a role in the retailer’s selection of brands to carry. Florida is a peninsula surrounded by water, so the salt-laden air is harsh, causing even stainless steel to rust. The BBQ Depot chooses its products accordingly, making sure that grills can hold up to such trying conditions. “Surface rust is a reality here, so customers need to be careful to choose the right products,” Hollander says. “Many people think an $8,000 big-name grill will not rust, but that’s a lie.” As Hollander stresses, surface rust can be removed with a steel cleaner, but it’s critical to use the right products and techniques.
Friends of Big Boxes
While some retailers oppose big-box stores, The BBQ Depot welcomes the competition from Home Depot and other mass retailers. Most big-box stores only sell barbecues; they do not offer repair or maintenance. As a result, many customers who purchase their grills at the big boxes end up turning to The BBQ Depot for these services.
Mike Hollander, president of The BBQ Depot and brother of Tracy Hollander, even enjoys walking through Home Depot to spot grills that are not set up properly. “It’s because of these types of mistakes that The BBQ Depot is able to step in and develop lasting relationships with customers,” he says. “Service is everything, and after customers see how we differ from the big-box stores, they become lifelong customers.”
Because the company offers so many different barbecue-related products (and first-rate service), it’s no surprise that business is booming at The BBQ Depot. Even the sluggish economy has not hindered sales. Hollander explains, “Instead of purchasing new homes, people are finding ways to fix up their existing homes and make their way of living more comfortable and fresh, whether it’s indoors or outdoors.”
PHPR July/August 2008
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