Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009
Bill Davidheiser: Tumblers, Pins and Persistence
Photo by Scott Smallin, Weekly Surge
Bill Davidheiser, a locksmith in Myrtle Beach, poses beside his work van.
Bill Davidheiser started visiting the Grand Strand from suburban Philadelphia in 1994. At that time, it was all about the golf opportunities here, but in short order he fell in love with the area and developed a ten-year plan to make it his permanent home. He and wife Lisa [thank God it's not hyphenated] Davidheiser cite the weather and the beach as strong motivators. "Eleven years ago, I made up my mind that I wanted to live here," he says. "We actually bought our house here one month before my 50th birthday, which was the goal."
Chalk one up for a well-orchestrated plan despite the fact that this move coincided with the economy taking a nosedive. "Most people wait for everything to be right, and what happens is that a lot of them don't meet their goals and dreams because they are never confident enough that the timing is right," he said. For Davidheiser, waiting was not an option. "Let's say I live to be 75. How long do you wait to enjoy the things that you wanted to come here for to begin with? I'm too old for the cold," he chuckles.
Davidheiser prides himself on a strong work ethic, which was instilled in him long ago when he went to work for his family's business, which at the time was calibrating the accuracy of speedometers and radar in police cars - or as he says, anything that law enforcement does to make sure you are not speeding. The family segued into the locksmith business as well, but Davidheiser left the business decades ago to strike out on his own. "I was a certified inspection mechanic with all kinds of automotive-related skills," he says. He wound up running an auto detail shop for the better part of 28 years, including during the time he had an eye on moving here.
But the automotive business was beginning to feel the pains of the flagging economy. "I was mainly in the wholesale dealer end of things, and I could see the writing on the wall and that it was time to get out of Dodge." For years before moving, Davidheiser planned on getting into the handyman business once he moved. "There seemed to be a big need for handyman services here. We have a lot of seniors and retired people here who have no desire to fix their own stuff." But the recession intervened, and with thousands spent on the actual move and for new tools and upgrades, he found that there was no handyman business to be had. "By February of this year I realized that it was time to pursue another route."
On the suggestion of his father, Davidheiser threw his hat into the locksmith ring. "He got me involved in a correspondence course with the Foley-Belsaw Institute and kept his eyes open for someone who was closing up their business in Pennsylvania." Davidheiser tackled everything Foley-Belsaw had to offer, including advanced courses and attended a convention in Myrtle Beach hosted by the Safe and Vault Technician's Association [or SAVTA] - an organization to which his father also belongs. This gave him a certain degree of specialization and a much-needed competitive edge. "I attended 40 hours of safe-related classes and seminars to give myself a good background. Safe work goes hand-in-hand with the locksmith business," he asserts.
In the meantime, he made several trips to Pennsylvania. "I worked with my older brother, who is by all means a master locksmith, and that was a blessing." He bought a business from the family of a recently-deceased locksmith. "I did a lot of work on the van and drove it back here and worked on getting everything to my liking as far as the equipment goes."
Enter Davidheiser Safe Lock & Key, LLC [www.davidheiserlock.com]. "It's been an experience," he says. "What we need is for the economy to turn around and get some houses sold and people needing combination changes (or re-keying)." Davidheiser offers all locksmith and safe work, including 24/7 emergency service. "A funny thing about re-keying a house is that I get the same story much of the time. Usually it's a vacation home. One cousin came and stayed and you gave him a key. He goes home and makes copies and hands them out to brothers and sisters, and the next thing you know, people are using your house without even asking. Sometimes people have no idea how many keys to their homes are floating around."
He has a heart for the folks who have locked themselves out of cars and homes. "During the tourist season, you get a whole lot more lockout calls. These are emergency calls, and I try to respond to these as if I was in their position. There is no worse feeling than being stranded somewhere, and the desperation I hear on the phone, like 'can you please help me' is awful. If you are within ten miles from my location, I'll be there within 20-25 minutes - shoes on, out the door." Davidheiser says he enjoys the satisfaction of rescuing folks from this situation. "That gives you a real warm and fuzzy feeling, and I try not to conk anybody over the head price-wise. They are in a jam and now I'm going to take advantage of them? That doesn't happen."