Big world, small parts: how a local electrical repair shop reaches around the globe

By Liv Stecker

You’ve passed it a million times on your way to work, or picking up the kids from school, or heading out to get your groceries. The little white cement block building on the side of highway 395 nestled in behind Radio Shack, you might not ever notice it until you need to.

Road Runner Electrical opened on March 1, 1992 in Colville by Richard Shull, who has been rebuilding alternators and starters for vehicles since the mid 1970s.

“The rebuild industry has changed so much in the last 20 years, it’s unreal,” Shull says of the shift in auto parts over the decades - when he first opened the business in 1992, he says it was more cost effective to rebuild or repair 29 out of 30 alternators that came through the door. Now, as electrical systems for automobiles are manufactured overseas at a fraction of the cost, it’s often cheaper to replace the whole starter or alternator than to repair it. The statistics have flip-flopped. “Now it’s one out of every 30 that we rebuild.” He says. Shull kept three employees busy rebuilding alternators when Road Runner was at it’s busiest.

In 2000, Matt Prater joined the team at Road Runner and seventeen years later, he and Shull run the entire operation together. Prater bought into the business several years ago and in the spring of 2017, he bought the business from Shull in it’s entirety.

Road Runner has shifted gears to keep up with the changing times. In addition to a flourishing eBay business where they sell electrical parts and repair kits to buyers all over the world.

“We can buy battery isolators from Malaysia and sell them back to people in Malaysia for cheaper than they can buy them there, where they were made.” Matt says. A map of the world hangs on the wall behind the counter at Road Runner, with brightly colored thumb tacks placed in every country (to date, more than 48) and state that the guys have shipped parts to. It’s proof positive that the world wide web has made it a much smaller world, even in a blue collar industry like electrical repair.  But the global eBay sales are only a fraction of what Road Runner offers.

While most of their local business consists of repeat customers over the years, Shull says that remote industry is really their bread and butter.

“70% of our business is from out of town,” he remarks, places like the Lucky Friday Mine in Silver Valley, Idaho, who have used Road Runner for their electrical parts and repairs for decades. But the guys at Road Runner say that they have first-time local clientele to thank for all of the real head-scratcher repair jobs. Road Runner has established themselves locally as the Do-It-Yourself mechanic’s last stop once they’ve reached the end of their limited expertise… or in some cases, just beyond the end.

“With our return customers, when something goes wrong, we’re the first ones they call,” Shull says, but the weekend warrior mechanics often don’t know what they’re up against until the whole thing is taken apart. “We’re the last ones they call, the last hope.” He laughs.

Prater and Shull say that clients bring in alternators in all states of disrepair and disassembly for them to fix. And fix it they do. Along with alternator and starter repair, Road Runner also sells new and rebuilt models, along with parts and supplies, batteries and accessories, and much more. They also repair power tools, trailers, winches and build custom battery cables.  

A few years ago, Road Runner began selling Old Hickory Sheds, which grace the open lot next to their location at 485 N Highway in Colville. Road Runner’s new hours are Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM, and Friday 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM.

Prater laughs that his most productive hours in the shop are the ones when it’s closed and he can focus on his projects. One of his customers recently reminded him that being a business owner meant he was able to choose which 16 hours a day he put in, and while he admits it’s a lot of time and commitment, he says he enjoys the flexibility that being his own boss brings. You can reach the guys at Road Runner at (509) 684-1778, or stop on by the shop and check it out for yourself.