Fall 2021Hardlines Strategies

CUSTOMER PROFILE

The Door of Opportunity How Whatchamacallit Tools Found Success in Oklahoma City

Whatchamacallit owners Richard Almanza (left) and Saent Izquierdo serve customers with a wide selection of tools and friendly customer service.

W hen an his own hardware store came knocking, Saent Izquierdo answered. He was content in his marketing job but saw the potential in owning his own business. opportunity to purchase

Rather than make the move to Dallas with AT&T, he and his wife decided to move where they wanted and chose Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to be close to their daughter. Almanza took a job with Hertz in Oklahoma, but unfortunately, that job was short-lived due to COVID-19. It wasn’t all bad news though; another door was about to open for Almanza. When the Almanzas moved, they happened to move across the street from Izquierdo and his family, and the two families became fast friends. Izquierdo, who needed an investor for this new business venture, approached Almanza about investing with him. Almanza said yes, and Whatchamacallit Tools opened

In the spring of 2020, Izquierdo was happily working in marketing

and advertising when one of his clients mentioned he was getting ready to sell his hardware business. The business owner asked Izquierdo if he knew of anyone who wanted to buy a hardware store, and Izquierdo realized this was his chance to own a business. “The opportunity came right to my door and knocked one time, and I jumped on it,” Izquierdo says. “I told him, ‘Sell it to me,’ and that led to door after door opening.” Opportunity was knocking at Richard Almanza’s door, too. Almanza, who had worked for AT&T for almost 20 years, was being transferred from his home in Lubbock, Texas, to Dallas.

32 Fall 2021 • Hardlines Strategies