What began as a hobby for Nancy Utley, better known as Hub Cap Annie, became one of the fastest growing businesses in America. Annie’s interest in hubcaps started when her husband George Utley, a retired Memphis police captain, brought home hubcaps that were found lying on the side of the road, left by “pothole” victims. This interest became a hobby that grew into a real love affair with her hubcaps. As Annie says, “They are beautiful. They’re gorgeous!” After five years of collecting hubcaps and making decorative wall plaques and clocks out of them, the idea for retailing was born! During a January carport sale, Annie decided to sell some of the unwanted family junk, but certainly not the beautiful collection of hubcaps, which was fast filling the garage and backyard.

 

    As fate would have it, many of the people attending the carport sale saw the hubcaps and wanted to buy some of them. Well, you guessed it, Annie, being an astute business lady (a successful real estate broker for over 14 years), recognized that she had discovered a real need– a place where one might buy a replacement hubcap. Annie researched the market place and found that pothole and theft victims had very little choice when searching for hubcaps and wheels for their cars. If their vehicle was not a late model car their only choice was to search local junkyards. On the other hand, if their lost hubcap was relatively new they usually could be special ordered from the new car dealer at an outrageous price and a long delay.

 

    The first Hub Cap Annie store opened as a small retail outlet offering new and “used, but like new” hubcaps at 40% to 70% savings over the dealership’s prices. In fewer than 60 days Annie was forced to move her store to a much larger facility. Now, there are over 40 individually owned stores in some 16 states. Hub Cap Annie has appeared on numerous radio and television programs in each city where she has opened a store; most notably People Magazine and the Real People Television show. Some great American once said to be successful just “find a need and fill it”. That is what Annie did. It’s birth and fantastic growth is one of Americas greatest small business success stories.

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The story continues with her daughter and son in law, along with their son and 5 other outstanding employees. This store has served the treasure valley since 1996. Come grow with us!