Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Fouhy.
Richard, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Drafted in the Army during the Vietnam War and spent a tour of duty. Received my old job back upon release of service. I moved to the San Diego area in 1974 and began working in the Aerospace industry in 1978. I started my own business in 1989 called Aeromach short for Aerospace Machining and grew to 38 employees at my height. I was told in 1998 that I had stage four liver failure and by January 2000 had two to four years to live. By mid-2005 through early 2006, I was hospitalized fiv and have now owned Viking Batterye times for liver failure but continued to run my two divisions of Aeromach, the Aerospace side and the commercial side but not very well. In June of 2006, I received a liver transplant and in October of 2006, a drunk driver on meth crossed into my lane and hit me head-on in an automobile accident, breaking 39 bones and destroying my left leg below the knee.
During the next 18 months, I had 19 surgeries attempting to save my leg but eventually told them to remove it so I could get on with my life. One month after my amputation, I fell at work, breaking my hip. Long story short, surgery to put pins and screws in did not work so a few months later I had a total hip replacement. I sold that company in early 2010. Later in 2010, I was fortunate enough to be asked to run a racing safety equipment company in Indianapolis called Impact Racing with approx. 120 employees. That lasted from Nov. 2010 until Sept. 2014 I had decided I had been away from my family for too long and needed to be home in San Diego. Since that time, I have driven buses for the elderly and the disabled and for two of the local casinos located here to keep myself active. Just over three years ago, a gentleman I had known for over twenty-five years ask me if I wanted to purchase his battery store and I spoke with my wife and agreed.
Has it been a smooth road?
It was nice to have an established business but the previous owner had dropped the open hours quite a lot and my wife and I both did not want to invest much into a new venture so it was a struggle through the first year. It has taken me nearly three years to pay off the credit card debt incurred during startup. Now with the coronavirus and our governor’s lockdowns, it has been difficult. This company has been serving San Diego East County since 1963 and my wife and I do not plan on being the ones to let our customers down and close these doors.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Viking Battery – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Our company sells batteries to individuals and companies alike. We sell automotive, truck, heavy equipment, golf cart, solar, mobility chair, trailer, motorcycle and alarm batteries to name some. I am personally most proud of our customer service and down-home atmosphere and I believe that is what sets us apart from the large chain stores and keeps our customers coming back. Surprisingly our prices are very competitive.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I feel as a whole we have many wonderful people living in our city, particularly in East County. The city has drifted from the values that created our great nation and has lost sight of what our founding fathers intended. Our city could be great again if it focused on the legal taxpayers and what is best for us as a whole and stopped worrying about votes.
Pricing:
- Automotive batteries as low as $100.00
- Golf cart batteries as low as $105.00
- R/V, Marine Batteries as low as $120.00
- Group 31 for $130.00
Contact Info:
- Address: 10759 Woodside Ave Suite B
Santee, CA 92071 - Website: Vikingbatterysantee.com
- Phone: 619-448-4923
- Email: vikingbatterysantee@gmail.com
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