In
December 1980, A-Al’s Motorcycle Salvage began in the modest surroundings
of Al’s Auto Salvage Yard in St. Louis. The company’s mission was simple:
to provide used affordable motorcycle parts to the St. Louis area. A-Al’s
moved to Martin Luther King Drive in 1984. In 1987, company president
Gary Meyer bought out one of A-Al’s original owners and renamed the company
Archway International Motorcycle Salvage (A.I.M.S.). Although the company
continued to grow, Meyer began to see that the St. Louis market wasn’t
big enough to enable A.I.M.S. to thrive the entire year. So in 1989 he
started a mail-order business called Fog Hollow to complement the existing
company’s walk-in business. Now the company sells parts nationally and
internationally. The decision to include a mail-order business proved
to be the boost the company needed and set the stage for long-term expansion.
The
spacious and historic three-story building at Martin Luther King Drive,
once used as a ballroom, roller skating rink and auto parts company, now
houses more than 100,000 used parts and is an integral part of the overall
plan at A.I.M.S. Fog Hollow. The new Fog Hollow building in Pacific, Mo.,
features a vast array of new parts for American motorcycles.
It’s Only Rock
‘n’ Roll But We Like It...
Several
years ago Gary Meyer began a tradition of playing his guitar at the building
on Martin Luther King Drive to relax before the start of a new workday.
When one of his employees, Scott Burkhardt, heard the music emanating
from Gary’s office a few years ago, he asked if he could bring his guitar
the following day for a jam session. Meyer welcomed the opportunity and
the tradition of early-morning jam sessions was born. In addition to having
an ear for a soulful tune, Meyer has developed a knack for knowing when
to turn up the volume on expansion. When the timing was right, he acquired
property in Pacific, MO., in 1995. Construction began in 1996 and the
building was completed in 1997. Finally Meyer was in a position to add
to the extensive inventory and realize his dream of developing a meeting
place for motorcycle riders from all walks of life. "I’ve always wanted
to have a place where people who enjoy motorcycles could meet and talk,"
said Meyer, who plans to create a Route 66 display at his store in Pacific,
complete with antique gasoline tanks, motorcycles and a miniature gas
station.
In
December 1980, A-Al’s Motorcycle Salvage began in the modest surroundings
of Al’s Auto Salvage Yard in St. Louis. The company’s mission was simple:
to provide used affordable motorcycle parts to the St. Louis area. A-Al’s
moved to Martin Luther King Drive in 1984. In 1987, company president
Gary Meyer bought out one of A-Al’s original owners and renamed the company
Archway International Motorcycle Salvage (A.I.M.S.). Although the company
continued to grow, Meyer began to see that the St. Louis market wasn’t
big enough to enable A.I.M.S. to thrive the entire year. So in 1989 he
started a mail-order business called Fog Hollow to complement the existing
company’s walk-in business. Now the company sells parts nationally and
internationally. The decision to include a mail-order business proved
to be the boost the company needed and set the stage for long-term expansion.
The
spacious and historic three-story building at Martin Luther King Drive,
once used as a ballroom, roller skating rink and auto parts company, now
houses more than 100,000 used parts and is an integral part of the overall
plan at A.I.M.S. Fog Hollow. The new Fog Hollow building in Pacific, Mo.,
features a vast array of new parts for American motorcycles.
Several
years ago Gary Meyer began a tradition of playing his guitar at the building
on Martin Luther King Drive to relax before the start of a new workday.
When one of his employees, Scott Burkhardt, heard the music emanating
from Gary’s office a few years ago, he asked if he could bring his guitar
the following day for a jam session. Meyer welcomed the opportunity and
the tradition of early-morning jam sessions was born. In addition to having
an ear for a soulful tune, Meyer has developed a knack for knowing when
to turn up the volume on expansion. When the timing was right, he acquired
property in Pacific, MO., in 1995. Construction began in 1996 and the
building was completed in 1997. Finally Meyer was in a position to add
to the extensive inventory and realize his dream of developing a meeting
place for motorcycle riders from all walks of life. "I’ve always wanted
to have a place where people who enjoy motorcycles could meet and talk,"
said Meyer, who plans to create a Route 66 display at his store in Pacific,
complete with antique gasoline tanks, motorcycles and a miniature gas
station. 