[PPCC] 1974-2009 Corvair Underground

[Garrie Fox]

This is mail from Lon Wall Re: Corvair Underground's future.
 
Copy and paste is included below

Regards,
Garrie Fox
 
> > For your information.
> >
> > January 07, 2009 4:09 PM
> >
> > Subject: CORVAIR UNDERGROUND 1974-2009
> >
> >
> > CORVAIR UNDERGROUND
> > 1974-2009
> >
> > It would be trite of me to say that this is the hardest letter I have
> > ever had to write. It would be trite and, well, untrue as well. All of
> > us have had negative events in our life, some worse than others. On a
> > scale of negativity this letter ranks pretty high, but I've seen worse.
> >
> > In 1974 I was young and stupid. I started a part time business that, by
> > any rational measure, looked like an eccentric lark. For reasons I still
> > don't fully understand that excursion blossomed into a full fledged mail
> > order business.
> >
> > When my 2nd wife and I separated in 1982 I almost lost the business. But
> > I kept stubbornly plugging away and, with the help of Linda (whom I
> > married in 1983), managed to rebuild the Corvair Underground into a
> > legitimate International player in the Corvair parts market.
> >
> > 35 years is a long time for any business to last, but very little lasts
> > forever. 2009 marks the year that Linda and I will begin to liquidate
> > our corporation. We've seen and had to make many changes in the way
> > we've done things. That's how you survive 35 years.
> >
> > But the past 3 years have been just a bit much. First we tried to sell
> > the business for somewhat less than it was worth. Then we tried to sell
> > it for a lot less than it was worth. Then we almost gave it away. In
> > every case the "serious" buyers passed up on a real opportunity, mostly
> > because of a lack of funds.
> >
> > I have had health problems before, but my heart/stroke surgery 2 years
> > ago really threw a monkey wrench in everything. Add that to failed
> > attempts to sell, losing my key employees in the process, and a general
> > downturn in the economy has made the going rough. Truthfully I promised
> > Linda Winter before last that we would not struggle through another
> > Winter (Our traditionally slowest time of the year). And here we are.
> >
> > It's time for me to do something else. What that is, I have no idea. But
> > I do know that it's time to wind this business down.
> >
> > Our intention is to have Corvair Underground closed by late Spring of
> > this year. Whether that will be possible or not remains to be seen. Even
> > though our operation is considerably smaller than our "heydays" of the
> > past 35 years, there is still an unbelievable amount of inventory here.
> > I would still claim that we are the second largest inventory of new and
> > reproduced Corvair parts in the world. We also have about a quarter mile
> > of shelving and a lot of other equipment and stuff.
> >
> > Is there a buyer out there? Time's running out. I may have to dump all
> > this stuff on the open market and though "garage" sales. Not really
> > looking forward to that.
> >
> > If you have even a passing interest in our clearance make sure you're
> > signed up for our electronic NEWS. It's free and easy. Just log into our
> > website at www.corvairunderground.com. That will be the primary way I
> > will be announcing open house sales dates and other breaking news.
> >
> > So far as continuing to take and process your mail orders - that will
> > not change at all. A number of our reproduced items will NOT be replaced
> > and some inventory that requires large purchase commitments will not be
> > replaced either. In the meantime we'll keep processing orders for the
> > foreseeable future just as we have since 1974.
> >
> > Has Corvair Underground been a positive force in the Corvair parts
> > market these past 35 years? Well, the age of self-promotion of my
> > business has ended for me. Other people and history will answer that
> > question, eventually.
> >
> > Lon Wall
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