Meet Farm Bureau Garage
- Location: Washington Ave., Souderton, PA
- Year Founded: 1960
- Owner: Dean Kulp
- Years as X2PS Client: 10+ Years
- Favorite thing about X2PS: Free Local Service
The Entrepreneur on #OwningIt:
“Why am I in business for myself? It’s like asking a person, why do you drink water? I’ve been here 38 years. I enjoy it.” —Dean Kulp, Owner
SOUDERTON, PA — Despite the name, you won’t find tractors or plows at Farm Bureau Garage, Inc. At the Souderton, Pa. auto repair shop, now in its second generation of family ownership, you’re more likely to encounter an Audi, BMW, Jeep or Volvo.
Who knows—you might even see a dirt bike or two.
“I started out working as a hired hand on a farm as a teenager,” says Dean Kulp, owner. “When I came into this business, myself and my sons, we raced dirt bikes. We worked on them all the time. Now, we work on cars.”
Kulp comes by the auto repair trade honestly. His shop’s Washington Ave. location has been open since 1960, when his father first cut the ribbon in Souderton.
After graduating high school in 1978, Kulp’s father had an opening at the shop. He jumped at the opportunity. Kulp worked as a mechanic, before eventually earning a promotion to Service Manager.
With Kulp’s son, J.D., history seems to be repeating himself.
“Our son—J.D.—he’s the service writer, and he’s coming along in the business. We think he’ll stick with it. Customers like him. He’s third generation.”
When asked why he’s in business for himself, as opposed to working for someone else, Kulp doesn’t mince words.
“Why am I in business for myself? It’s like asking a person, why do you drink water? I’ve been here 38 years. I enjoy it.”
The reputation the shop has earned over its half century in business doesn’t hurt either, he says.
“People can trust us. We’ve been here a long time. We’re not going to sell people something they don’t need.”
That’s part of the reason Kulp continues to do business with X2PS Founder & CEO Nelson Verbit.
“I get calls from XYZ Credit Company all the time,” says Kulp. “We’ve been here for 66 years. I just don’t have the time to be shopping for a new credit card vendor, and the few times I have, it wasn’t a good deal anyway.”
State-of-the-art equipment offered by X2 Payment System is a factor, too.
“To stay competitive in the [auto repair] business, you need to stay up-to-date with new equipment and training with respect to electronics. In our business that’s scan tools, diagnostic equipment. With Nelson’s processing equipment, as a business person, on the receivables side, I know I’m up-to-date with the latest processing equipment.”
Ultimately, it’s X2’s community-driven and relationships-first approach that drives Dean to keep business going with the Merchant Services company.
“It’s not just an 800 number,” says Kulp. “Nelson brings his own vehicles in here. He isn’t afraid to look you in the eye.”
