Sunday, May 24, 1998

Local wrecker service owner receives national recognition

By GREG JAKLEWICZ / Abilene Reporter-News

It takes a real man to drive a wrecker custom-painted pink and summer sky blue.

Or a businessman smart enough to know it'll attract attention.

For those reasons, and others, Tow Times has honored Abilene's Theron Durant.

Owner of Durant's Automotive and Wrecker Service, Durant's International truck was named medium-duty winner in the industry magazine's annual contest. The big rig is presented in all its bright colors on the cover of the current May issue.

The honor is one Durant, a 1976 graduate of Wylie High School, quickly shares, specifically with his wife and co-worker, Julie. She dreamed up the design and helped her husband write an almost full-page story describing his operation, work with neighboring Safety City and thoughts on how to succeed in business.

It was Julie Durant, in turn, who touted her husband's accomplishment.

"He'd never tell anyone," she said. "He'd be too embarrassed."

Durant's now is one of two businesses on South 7th Street to win acclaim. Last year, nearby Betty Rose's Little Brisket was chosen by <I>exas Monthly*i magazine as one of the Top 50 best barbecue joints in the state.

The pink and blue splashes of paint certainly give personality to the black truck that's quite the showcase inside, too, with power windows, cruise control and quality radio/cassette setup.

The black boom is decorated with the Pink Panther cartoon character, advertising "Hook Up With Class." Durant got the idea from another wrecker well-known around town as "The Happy Hooker."

"I've had customers tell me how pretty it is," Durant said of his truck, painted by former Abilenian Roland H. Jimenez. TOW TO TOW

How did <I>ow Times*i find out about Durant's?

It was Julie Durant's idea. On the eve of last year's June deadline for the annual photo contest she submitted her entry. They heard nothing until December when a magazine representative called and <I>ow Times Beauty Contest Photo Parade*i arrived in the mail. On the bottom right corner of Page 11 was their truck. Over more than 700 overall entries, the truck made the cut of 48 finalists. Pictured were a dozen medium-duty trucks, culled from among 122 entries representing businesses from Bradenton, Fla., to Bell, Calif.

Three weeks later came The Call.

"A lady called from the magazine and told us we had won first place," Durant said. "I said, 'You've got to be kidding.'We had no idea."

A photographer from Orlando, Fla., came to town in late February to take photos. The Durants wanted to somehow show a bit of Abilene in the picture, but realized our town in the winter is not the prettiest sight. The courthouse was chosen as a backdrop.

"We wanted to do that because Abilene has been very good to us," said Durant.

As for what the magazine spread will do for business, Durant is not sure. He believes it will help. Motor clubs, for example, will see it and perhaps recommend his service to clients needing towing in this area, he said. It doesn't hurt, either, to get some attaboy feedback from his peers. SELF-MADE BUSINESS

Durant, 39, has built his small business over the years through a lot of hard work.

Someone who tinkered with cars since he was a teen, Durant first worked in the Montgomery Ward automotive department. In seven years he earned managerial responsibilities but didn't want an office job. So he left to manage his own business.

In March 1984 Durant opened a small garage in an alley just off Oak Street. He built a customer base from his Ward's clientele. Eleven years ago he moved his growing operation to 2501 South 7th.

If he's not on the premises or out on a call, Durant often is next door at Safety City. A request to help fix the miniature cars third-graders use led to a part-time labor of love as mechanic, welder and sponsor of the building with the five-foot Pink Panther on it. Durant is a big fan of local law enforcement.

"I'm glad I can do something for them," he said.

Officially he works weekdays 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., but in reality his is a 365-day, 24-hour job.

"And that includes holidays ... I've been out many a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and stood up and left my Thanksgiving dinner," he said. "That's upsetting, and I give credit to family for putting up with the hours. But I don't turn down calls because that person is in worse shape than I am."

Some services don't do that, he admitted.

"But that's not how we do business," he said.

He has two employees and works with his wife of 21 years. Ironically, they met when Durant helped her date change a flat tire. They have three children: a son, Travis, and daughters Traci and Tiffany. STAYS BUSY

Durant's is one of 19 local services on the City of Abilene's rotation list. Additionally, he gets calls, he said, from seven law enforcement agencies, dealerships, motor clubs, individual repair shops and customers who he has serviced before or know the name from seeing the truck on the street.

"You know, it's no more expense to have a good truck than a wore-out one," he said. He has heard from customers who have been serviced by trucks with no floorboard.

Durant has pulled stolen vehicles from lakes and worked many accidents. The latter is tough for a father whose 16-year-old son is about to start driving.

"The fatalities are hard," he said. "That gets close to home."

He recalls an accident near South 14th and Treadaway in which a vehicle evading police wedged under a tanker truck transporting a hazardous liquid. Durant was about to pull the crumpled vehicle free when they discovered the driver still was alive. Not only alive, but after being treated in the ambulance walked away ... straight into the same police car.

Durant employs a policy of politeness but has learned that asking folks stranded on the road if all's well sometimes aggravates the situation.

"I've learned to ask, 'How are you doing ... considering,' " he said, grinning. "That pause really helps."

Some customers are surprised to see such a big truck arrive. Durant has towed Volkswagen Beetles and had owners ask, "Think you brought enough truck?"

Perhaps driving a wrecker or sticking your head under the hood isn't the most glamorous life, but it's a fine living for Theron Durant.

"My dad told me to pick a job and enjoy what I do," he said. "I've done it all ... built houses, worked in horse stables, done heavy construction. This is what I like to do. I enjoy it."