Krazy’s gets new owners, offers same care

St. James-assiniboia

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This article was published 26/04/2023 (893 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Krazy’s Car Clinic is a small, local auto customization shop that specializes in remote car starters, car alarms and car audio. It has occupied its home at 1655 Dublin Ave. for more than 30 years.

Stepping inside, there are a plethora of little details that showcase the business’s age and purpose, like a fresh out of the ’90s waiting room fitted with a faux plant, boxed TV and soon-to-be-replaced couch. The walls feature a decorative blanket of tools, neatly tacked up side-by-side, behind and around the front desk.

Cory Lusby, 38, knows how to use them all. He has been working at Krazy for almost 12 years, repairing and upgrading all kinds of vehicles — from hotdog stands to police cars.

As of April 1, Lusby is now the owner, running the shop alongside his wife, Jennifer Lusby, 37. They purchased the business from Ken Gingles, who ran it for 15 years before opting to retire this year.

The Lusbys are out to preserve Krazy’s legacy of trust, integrity and practicality.

They said they’re not looking to drastically change anything, mostly just planning to modernize the interior and drive it into 2023.

Krazy’s advertising is almost entirely based on word of mouth. To this point, it has functioned well with the help of longtime regulars.

“Because we’ve been around so long, it’s generations of customers,” Cory said. “People are bringing their grandkids (here) with them to do stuff in their cars.”

“Really, (Winnipeg is) the biggest small town,”

Krazy’s reputation is aided by its smaller team. There are no designated salespeople, so those up front who are recommending products are the same people who install them in the back.

Because of that, customers are able to get the blunt truth about what they need and what each tool does. It paves the way for personalized service that big-box chain shops can’t always offer.

“Being a little bit smaller and local has the opportunity to be more agile and flexible with the services and products that they’re offering,” Jennifer said. “So, Cory can really do more customized stuff for people as well. …And we would not hesitate to deter you from certain options if we felt it wasn’t a good fit.”

Jennifer added that she’s proud of the fact that anyone who walks into the store can feel welcome and unpatronized. As a woman, she pushes for important services, such as auto repair, to be open and welcoming to everyone.

The succession was friendly. Previous owner Gingles still frequents the shop and has left a large collection of trophies from various audio competitions behind, stacked up on the high shelves.

The shop is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Service requests can be made online at www.krazys.ca, or by calling 204-633-6934.