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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. - Despite its name, which recalls the company's Manhattan heritage, 6th Ave Electronics City is a New Jersey institution in the tradition of boardwalks and Bruce Springsteen.
But surviving in the Garden State is no walk in the park. The seven-unit A/V specialty chain, based here, must contend with an inordinate amount of retail muscle in this land of a thousand shopping malls. Besides the usual big box suspects, 6th Ave competes to varying degrees with regional powerhouse P.C. Richard & Son for mass market customers, and niche player Harvey Electronics for the premium and custom-installation trade.
And while Cablevision's expansive The Wiz franchise has faded from the scene, the family-run business now faces a more familiar competitor in Electronics Expo, a start-up CE chain founded by former 6th Ave CEO Leon Temiz, following a break with his kinfolk last year.
But 6th Ave's hybrid style and nimble management allows it to straddle multiple consumer segments deftly, and principals Mike and Billy Temiz - president and chairman, respectively - adhere to a simple yet powerful maxim: "Keep the customers happy and pay our people well," Mike said.
That formula, which...