Joe Higdon has owned All American Muffler & Brake on 4th Street for 41 years.
For the last 30 years, he has been adding a special touch that customers and drivers-by appreciate. During different seasons and holidays, Higdon changes the sign out front to reflect the event or time of year.
When asked why he created the signs in the first place, Higdon said, “I refused to put up boring stuff, like ‘Mufflers for $25.99.’ Our business isn’t one they need very often. I want to put a smile on their face when they drive by.”
What started out as a funny idea, now keeps Higdon awake at night thinking of jokes or wordplay he can twist into creative signs that represent the business.
All American Muffler & Brake offers services including exhaust, mufflers, brakes, shocks, struts and catalytic converters.
“We don’t have much of an advertising budget…I wanted people to talk about us in a positive way,” Higdon said.
Responses were so positive recently that a photo of one of Higdon’s signs actually went viral on the internet. Higdon created a sign last week that read, “A car’s weakest part is the nut holding the steering wheel.”
Someone posted a picture of the sign on Facebook, and in a matter of days, it made its way to popular meme sites such as Chive, and Reddit, and is even featured on the main page of a Road Safety site in Australia.
As far as if the signs are working, loyal customer Don Kelley has been coming to Higdon for almost 20 years. Kelley said he noticed the signs on his way to church and when traveling home.
One day he walked through the doors to get Higdon’s advice on some automotive work.
Kelley recalls appreciating the novelty of the signs and thinking, “that’s a guy I want to do business with.” He has been so happy with the “knowledgeable staff” that he has not only continued to bring in cars that have been in need of repair but new cars he has purchased as well.
Higdon said, “Not a week goes by that someone doesn’t say something (about the sign) or call.” And, “Every now and then, you get people that call and say I’ve been reading your sign for years — and now I need you.”
All American Muffler & Brake is located at 710 East 4th Street. (270) 685-2949
They are open Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and closed on Saturday and Sunday.
