River Cities Business Journal: Cover Story

Today's News-Herald

LAKE HAVASU CITY - It didn't take much to persuade Mike Keegan to open shop in Lake Havasu City.

“My intention initially was to come out to Havasu and retire - just have a ma and pa little place, kick back and not worry about the rest of life,” said Keegan, co-owner of Bad Boyz Toyz, a south-side used-car dealership.

But it didn't quite turn out that way.

In his first week, Keegan sold six cars, which was what he hoped to sell for the entire month.

“I said, ‘If I'm doing that, I might as well do this thing for serious,'” he said.

Two months after opening, Bad Boyz Toyz has emerged as one of the city's fastest-growing dealerships by carving out a unique niche in a highly competitive local market.

With more than a dozen other used-car dealers in town, Bad Boyz has to cater to a specific demographic, Keegan said. His clientele tends to be young to middle-aged males with steady jobs and good credit - hence the name Bad Boyz.

There are several reasons for the name, Keegan said.

“One, it's easy to remember. Two, it has an appeal to it. (It) appeals to the 18- to 48-year-old male that's got money, and that's what we're after,” he said.

Bad Boyz' sales lot is made up mostly of pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. But it also features an assortment of “toyz,” including dune buggies, street rails, lifted trucks and even an occasional boat.

Keegan and his partner, Gary Thayer, chose the location, 2905 Maricopa Ave., because of its nearness to the highway.

“This is an ideal location,” Keegan said. “Everybody sees (the lot). They might be going by at 40 mile per hour, but all I have to do is try to get their attention just for a second.”

Keegan opened the dealership with the idea of it being a one-man show - just him.

“But it's grown past that right now. It's exceeded my expectations,” he said, noting that Bad Boyz's payroll already has swelled to several employees.

Behind the success is Keegan, an Irish immigrant who came to the U.S. in 1985 with nothing but $20 in his pocket and the clothes he had on. He started selling cars in 1987 in California, and slowly worked his way up the corporate ladder.

“I got into cars by accident,” he said. “It's just a matter of following up on your instincts after that.”

The key to his success, he said, is honesty.

“It's a good business to be in, it's a fun business to be in, and you meet a lot of nice people. If you're honest and straight and tell people what it is, people will accept it,” he said.