SpeeDee Looks to Re-Ignite Franchising in New England

Having been present in New England for more than 30 years, automotive franchise, SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service® has established itself as a leader in the space. Having recently acquired several territories from a retiring franchisee, the brand is now planning to open more locations and offer entrepreneurs the chance to build their own business within the market.

SpeeDee first opened back in December of 1980 in Metairie, Louisiana. Roughly a decade later, they entered the New England area and began expanding throughout the market. When the company first opened, the automotive service industry was on the decline; however, drivers were still in need of oil change services, which proved profitable for SpeeDee.

The company quickly developed into a quick-lube and automotive tune-up service business, becoming “SpeeDee Oil Change & Tune-Up” to reflect all of the new service additions.

“With 14 stores already in the Boston and Providence/New Bedford metropolitan areas, we have seen great success here throughout the last 30 years,” said Ralph Yarusso, Chief Development Officer for FullSpeed Automotive, the parent company of SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service and Grease Monkey Oil Changes and More. “We have a strong franchise support director in the market who is a terrific trainer and mentor to new franchisees. Overall, it’s a really strong market for auto repairs and existing stores are performing exceptionally well.”

There are 537 total locations between SpeeDee and Grease Monkey across the country. Of those, 130 locations are corporate-owned, and overall the company employs more than 1,000 people.

“We feel this market continues to provide great opportunities for owners and we are excited to get more locations opened in the coming years,” said Yarusso. “Our goal is to open an additional 10 locations in the next 1 to 3 years.”

Each SpeeDee location employs anywhere from 8 to12 employees, which could mean upwards of 120 new jobs coming to the New England region in the next three years. Beyond this region, the brand is also looking to branch into neighboring states and markets.

“Our team plans to grow within New Hampshire and continue to expand in Rhode Island,” said Yarusso. “This area of New England has a booming economy and a large student population who tend to gravitate towards the services we provide.”

Beyond providing quality service, SpeeDee prides itself on its training programs for new and existing franchisees.

“Our training is the best in the industry,” said Yarusso. “Having a franchise support director based in Massachusetts is extremely helpful for both current and new franchisees looking to open locations within the market. It allows someone with a local perspective to provide the necessary training, as well as to educate owners on the overall trends within the area.”

Customers in today’s market are still lacking a sense of trust for their service provider in the automotive space. With this in mind, SpeeDee introduced their Total Trust Guarantee™.

“The automotive maintenance and repair services in today’s world must be fast, accurate and performed by certified professionals—that’s SpeeDee,” said Yarusso. “SpeeDee stores in New England offer a quick-lube component coupled with general automotive repair. Typically our stores have service posts and can do quick oil changes, as well as utilize bays for things like brake and tire repairs. We also offer transparency for customers through our Total Trust Guarantee™.”

Part of this transparency includes store upgrades to some of SpeeDee’s locations so customers are able to watch their vehicle being serviced via camera systems. They also receive images of replacement parts, additional information surrounding pricing and background details on the technicians working on their vehicle.

SpeeDee also encourages veterans and first responders who might be looking to start a business to consider the franchise.

“For those looking to start something for themselves, Entrepreneur ranked our veterans program No. 1 in the automotive space,” said Yarusso. “We provide veterans and first responders the ability to join our family and enjoy some great discounts for their service such as a $10,000 discount on the initial franchise fee and $30,000-$40,000 in savings during the first two years in business.”

While current franchisees in the New England region have already expressed interest in expanding their own business within the region, SpeeDee is still looking for new franchisees to join the family and is excited to see the continued growth over the next couple of years.

The investment level for opening a SpeeDee center ranges from $197,305 to $537,970 with a $35,000 franchise fee and 6% royalty.