This year, the Kingpin Car & Marine Audio family celebrates 11 years of business. The history of Kingpin is unique compared to others in the industry, but it is a part of who they are. Over the past 11 years, quite a lot has transpired. Read on to hear how it all got started.
Life in the ’80s
Back in the ’80s, Kingpin owner Jason Kranitz was growing up in Oregon. He got his first job at a car audio shop when he was a senior in high school, mostly sweeping floors and doing small odds and ends jobs around the store. Thinking that he wanted to be an FBI agent, he decided to go to school for law enforcement. Although, it didn’t take too long before Jason discovered that he had a passion for car audio. When he realized that, he began working full time in the industry and decided to pursue it as a career. He always had a love for great-sounding music, but owning a car audio store was not his childhood dream.
Desire for Excellence
Jason worked for other companies in the past and with each one, he desired to give clients a level of excellence that these shops weren’t providing. With excellence as one of his core values, he knew he couldn’t continue down the same road. Out of all people, it was actually his mom who gave him the final push he needed to open his own shop. After much thought, he finally considered it. After going through the worst possible outcome in his mind – failing, going bankrupt and starting all over – he decided to take a risk and start his own business. And so many are glad he did!
Kingpin’s Grand Opening in 2006
In August 2006, Kingpin Car & Marine Audio opened their doors for business. Back then, it was mostly a one-man show, with Jason handling everything the shop needed. Did you know the original store was actually a mile south of their current location? You could say they started out small, but over the past 11 years, much has changed.
The History of Kingpin Shows Exponential Growth
Over the years, Kingpin Car & Marine Audio has seen exponential growth. Starting out small, they have grown to now have seven employees including two 12V techs, two film techs, a sales and design team and a general manager. Jason believes you need to reinvent yourself to not stay stagnant. With that being said, each year Kingpin has changed and remodeled in one way or another, continuing to grow and expand.
Kingpin Becomes a Leader in the Industry
Three years ago, Kingpin started offering fabrication training to others in the industry. They would close their store down and use the installation bay as a teaching room. Their latest remodel gave them a whole new classroom for these trainings to take place. Now, 23 students can train at their own workstations to grow their craft. With a large glass wall, clients can also watch these trainings take place. They’ve had students come from all over the United States and even other countries to participate in their trainings.
All of the hard work has paid off, and now Kingpin is proud to say they’ve been featured in over 60 magazines and have won numerous awards for their impeccable customer experience and professional installations.
The Kingpin Experience
As a client of Kingpin Car & Marine Audio, you will have a buying experience unlike any other. Over the past 11 years, they have perfected their craft and made quite the name for themselves. Their mission is: Transparency, Reputation and Family Values. Jason believes that excellent service should start with the very first client interaction, and that’s what you’ll get from the very beginning. Starting with a tour of the store and products, you’ll receive a one-on-one consultation with someone on the Kingpin sales team. You will have a chance to share what you are looking for and then they will educate you about the various options available. After deciding on which products you’d like to have installed, the fun begins! If your vehicle is required to stay overnight, their team will even send you an e-mail update with photos of what has been completed. Upon completion, a scheduled demo will take place in which time the client will learn all about their new upgrades and have a chance to ask questions. But it doesn’t end there. Now as a part of the Kingpin family, you will receive a few phone calls over time to see how you are enjoying your new products. At Kingpin Car & Marine Audio, the attention to detail may blow you away!
From the Owner
As a business owner, Jason Kranitz says his goal is to do the best work out there. He enjoys the freedom of doing things the way he believes they should be done as well as learning something new each day. His advice, or keys to success, would be to admit when you make a mistake and be quick to ask forgiveness.
Stop by Kingpin Today
Whether you are looking for window film or a custom sound system, stop by Kingpin Car & Marine Audio today. They’re located in Wilsonville, Oregon, just south of Portland. An excellent level of service has always been at the forefront of everything they do, but over the past 11 years, they’ve truly learned what a client needs and how to deliver the best service possible.
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