Can you imagine being able to say you’ve only had a single job in your entire career? Most of us are lucky to stay in a single industry for our careers. Sarah Russell, the owner of Atlantic Car Stereo in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, has been going to the same car stereo shop since she was two years old. Her dad, Scott, opened it in 1984 and sold it to her in 2020.
The Atlantic Car Stereo Facility
Atlantic Car Stereo is housed in a 6,500-square-foot stand-alone facility in Dartmouth. The store features a massive 2,000-square-foot showroom that includes several interactive displays and a classic sound room for speaker, source unit, amplifier and subwoofer demonstrations. They try to have a demo vehicle, such as a side-by-side or Harley-Davidson motorcycle, on display in the showroom for clients to experience.
They offer a lot more than just audio upgrades. From remote car starters and security systems to dashcams, parking sensors and truck accessories, they have all the bases covered. To take things one step further, they offer TOFF spray-in truck bedliners and Katzkin leather interior upgrades. The skill sets required to install either of these upgrades are a natural extension of a well-trained car audio technician.
The installation bay features individual work areas for each technician. There’s room for four vehicles, with lots of space around each to ensure that the team can work efficiently and safely. The bedliner spray booth is in the middle of the shop and is constantly busy. A well-equipped fabrication room features a high-quality table saw, a panel saw and three router work centers. All have proper dust collection to keep things neat and tidy. They have recently invested in a laser engraver to enhance their customization options. With that said, they already want a larger unit.
Product Selection
Rockford Fosgate is at the heart of Atlantic Car Stereo’s car audio upgrades. Their purpose-built solutions for cars and trucks, motorcycles, marine, and side-by-side applications ensure maximum performance and reliability.
When it comes to source units, Kenwood has been the go-to brand for more than 25 years. Atlantic Car Stereo also carries JL Audio, whose Stealthbox subwoofer systems and marine audio gear are a perfect fit for the store. In addition, Audison’s Forza amplifiers have made integrating into complex factory-installed audio systems much more reliable and predictable.
Behind the Scenes – Staff and Marketing
Sarah tells us that the sales and installation team is like a second family. “Without great staff,” she says, “you can’t be successful.” Everyone at Atlantic Car Stereo is passionate about vehicles and audio systems, so that excitement and emotion translate into excellent solutions for clients.
The shop focuses heavily on training. The team attends trade shows like the CMA Expo in Toronto and the MasterTech Expo in Arizona to learn about new processes that can improve installation accuracy, reliability and, importantly, audio system or accessory performance.
Atlantic Car Stereo focuses its marketing efforts on social media and supports local teams and clubs. It sponsors yacht clubs as well as motorsports, hockey and dance teams. They don’t get into the popularity contests that many other shops can fall prey to.
On Being a Woman in the Car Audio Industry
While the car audio industry is primarily run by guys, there are a few female store owners in North America. Sarah tells us that she’s often perceived as the “wife who does the books” or is just “along for the trip” at trade shows. We can tell you that the reality is quite the opposite. Sarah is as serious about business as any of the guys. She can talk the talk and walk the walk better than many men.
She’s had challenges that, as she put it, “upset and shocked me. But all of them made me stronger.” If you know how we roll, you know we like people who aren’t wishy-washy. Sarah and her team are far from that, and their business operations and the solutions they provide demonstrate their expertise and professionalism day after day.
Visit Atlantic Car Stereo and Accessories Today!
If you live in or are lucky enough to travel through Nova Scotia, take a moment and drop into Atlantic Car Stereo and Accessories in Dartmouth. The team would be happy to answer any questions you might have or design an audio, security or lighting system for your vehicle. You can learn more about the team by visiting their website. Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see their latest projects. Be sure to tell them the guys at BestCarAudio.com sent you!
