Sept. 25, 2020—The longtime owner of Three-C Body Shops, Bob Juniper, says he's sold his three shops in Columbus, Ohio.
Juniper, 62, tells FenderBender he sold to an emerging brand, which plans to continue to operate the shops under the Three-C name. He says he sold Three-C, two shops and a satellite, for about $20 million.
Noting it's atypical for owners who sell shops to note the sale price, Juniper says he's trying to help others who find themselves in his position, nearing retirement, to better understand the value of their businesses.
"Maybe shop owners will get the idea that their business is worth a little bit more than they're being told," he says.
With his net sales margins in the range of 22 percent to 23 percent, Juniper says he never felt forced to sell.
"I set a number and ultimately I stuck to my number," he says. "Because I stuck to it and really didn't care if I sold it or not, I was able to stick to it and get to the maximum number."
Working in his father's shop from the age of 14, Juniper says he tried to sell Three-C to his employees and had hoped that his daughter would take over the business, though neither option worked out.
Of the sale, he says, "Sometimes I'm sad about it, it was a family business." He adds, "... but I get on my computer and look at my bank account and I feel better."
Juniper is known in the collision repair industry as an antagonist of insurance companies and for his advertising campaigns. He took over his father's business in 1984, and at its height 20 years ago, Three-C had 13 shops and revenues that topped $12 million per year, as reported in this 2008 FenderBender story.
Juniper will remain as a consultant with his former shops for the next year, and says he's bought a home in the Phoenix area that will allow him to avoid another Ohio winter.
"We're totally free," he says, "it's a strange feeling."
