Account Login
Don't have an account? Create One
A family-owned business for motor enthusiasts in St. John’s, N.L., Freshwater Motor-Plex has operated for over 40 years. What started as a car repair shop evolved and rebranded over time to include recreational vehicle sales. Still operating its original location on Freshwater Road, investments in recent years have expanded business dealings across the province.
Starting off
The beginning of Freshwater Motor-Plex dates back to 1982 with Bob Kinsella. An automotive technician by trade, Kinsella once worked for Imperial Oil repairing cars. When Imperial started to divest from automobile repairs, Kinsella seized the opportunity to open his own garage and founded Freshwater Auto Centre in St. John’s, N.L.
In the early days of the business, it was strictly an auto repair shop. But over time it grew into much more.
Gaining traction
In the late ‘80s, Kinsella began selling used cars from his garage on Freshwater Road and soon expanded to a second location, opening a used car lot in Mount Pearl. While he continued to repair all brands of vehicles from his original shop, in 1991 his Mount Pearl location transformed into a dealership for new Suzuki cars and over time his business became Freshwater Suzuki.
When Suzuki stopped importing cars to Canada in 2013, Kinsella pivoted to carry the brand’s recreational motorized products. Eventually, the family’s Mount Pearl dealership was consolidated into an expanded location on Freshwater Road. The lot next to the original repair shop is now a showroom for its line of recreational vehicles.
In 2019, the company added Polaris off-road vehicles and snowmobiles to round out its product offerings. The change resulted in a rebranding to Freshwater Motor-Plex and renovations to expand its showroom.
Family ties
Bob Kinsella and his wife Maureen started to step back in the mid-2000s, handing the family business over to their three sons Rob, Paul and Brian. Paul Kinsella, vice president of operations and finance of Freshwater Motor-Plex, says the long-standing business has generations of loyal customers and employees. Among its team of about 85, some have worked there for over 30 years.
In addition to growing its product line, Freshwater Motor-Plex has made other changes to better serve customers. For example, in recent years the business has modernized elements of its sales process. Noticing a demand for more virtual communication, the team added instant messaging software for social media and text messaging to communicate with customers.
Running smooth
Today, operations continue for Freshwater Motorplex in St. John’s. In 2021, the family business also invested in business dealings across the province, purchasing a majority interest in Clarenville and Marystown Ford.
When asked about plans for future growth, Paul Kinsella commented: “We’re fairly growth-minded, but it’s not something we’re going to force. As opportunities present themselves, we’ll explore them.”
More Flashback Fridays:
• For more Web Exclusives, click here.
Comment policy
Comments are moderated to ensure thoughtful and respectful conversations. First and last names will appear with each submission; anonymous comments and pseudonyms will not be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that Atlantic Business Magazine has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner it chooses. Publication of a comment does not constitute endorsement of that comment. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.