TeeVax’s Mike Montague is adjusting his sails in retirement
By Andy Kriege, YSN
After six decades in retail, BrandSource member Mike Montague has retired from TeeVax Home Appliance & Kitchen Center in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Founded by his parents in 1949 as Monty’s Home Service, Mike joined the team in 1964 at age 11. His chores back then included cleaning the family’s laundromats, and once out of school he was assigned warehouse duty and later deliveries.
By the mid-1970s Mike was on the sales floor, and would eventually head up the sales team and manage the warehouse.
Mike and his four siblings eventually bought the business from their parents and worked together to keep the operation humming.
According to older brother Ed, who still minds the 75-year-old business, “Mike was always the serious one. He constantly pushed us and was always looking for ways to improve how we ran the business.”
Indeed, during Mike’s tenure the laundromats were sold, the company was consolidated into one location, and TeeVax — a contraction of television and video — added kitchen and bath cabinets and countertops to its menu and expanded the service department.
Fellow Pacific Rim member Mark Pardini echoed Ed’s observations. “Years ago Mike coordinated dealers in the region to assist one another, in-person, at each other’s private sales. We all had the same software at the time,” he said, “so it was easy to write up sales at someone else’s store. It was a great idea.”
“Mike always pushed us hard to think outside the box,” added Ed. “We will miss working with him, but are grateful for all he did for the business.”
Sailing Off
No longer bound by long store hours, Mike can now fully pursue his true passion: sailboat racing. A world-class competitor in the two-man Hobie Cat circuit, he drives to domestic races in his motorhome with his catamaran-style boats in tow, and flies to international competitions where the vessels are provided.
“We are happy he will get the opportunity to do what he loves most,” said Ed.
Clear sailing, Mike Montague. May the wind be at your back for the next leg of your voyage.
YSN publisher AVB BrandSource is the nation’s largest merchandising and marketing co-op for independent appliance, mattress, furniture and CE dealers.
