Owner all Charged Up
Holidays Mean Juicy Sales at Battery Store
BY DONNA BALANCIA
FLORIDA TODAY
November 3, 2007

Jesse Martinez, owner of Batteries Plus in Melbourne, expects to ring up a lot of sales this winter.

"We have daylight savings time coming up this Sunday, and we suggest that people change the batteries in their smoke alarm at that time," Martinez said. "And then we have the holidays, and the big presents this year are all wireless or portable. We're going to be very busy."

Martinez saw a need to open his Batteries Plus franchise store on Wickham Road after an extensive search of several stores for a 12-volt battery for his garage door opener.

"It was terrible. I had to search five different stores," Martinez said. "I knew there had to be a better way."

Batteries Plus carries many types of batteries for people on the go. And if the battery isn't in stock, Martinez said he knows where to find it.

"We're pretty much a one-stop shop for batteries. If we don't have it in stock, we source it out," Martinez said.

In an era in which wireless products are becoming more and more popular, demand for batteries is growing. The

average household has several battery-operated devices.

Many children's toys, consumer computers, cameras and electronics require different types of batteries. The battery industry was worth $25.6 billion as of 2006 and is growing, driven by demand for cell phones and laptops, according to research firm Sullivan & Frost.

So to answer the call, Batteries Plus franchisees spend a little more than $200,000 to open the doors, and the owner takes four weeks of training.

Martinez wants to capitalize on that demand and carries more than 12,000 battery-related items, most of which are not commonly found.

In addition, Batteries Plus offers a refurbishing service for old batteries, which can save buyers some money, Martinez said.

"We recharge batteries, like those for cordless drills," Martinez said. "It's a way to rebuild old batteries, like batteries for cordless shavers. And pretty much anything that is rechargeable, we can rebuild."

In addition to selling to individuals, Martinez also plans to pitch to businesses.

"The store itself is retail, but we do commercial sales, too," he said. "I'm going to target anyone who uses batteries."

Martinez said his Batteries Plus store serves another purpose.

"We're also a recycling center for batteries," he said. "We take it in free of charge and send it off."

On the horizon may be the busiest time of the year for the battery salesman.

"With Christmas, all the new toys all require batteries," Martinez said. "It's going to be one of the best times ever to sell batteries."