You might not have heard of Atlantic Coast Enterprises, but it's a subject we'll be touching on in months to come. ACE, from what we've been able to gather, is a partnership between veteran lube operators Al Chance and Steve Allison. You might remember Al Chance as a former NOLN Operator of the Year and the creator of the Connecticut-based ExpressWay chain of fast lubes. That 23-store chain was sold to Galena Associates, a VIOC franchisee, in spring 2007.
Now, it seems Chance is back in the lube business, having formed ACE and purchased 43 corporate-run Jiffy Lube facilities from Jiffy Lube International that will now be operated as franchised stores. Additionally, ACE purchased eight facilities from Xpress Lube of NMB, Inc., the company owned and operated by Steve Allison. Allison, who had been serving as Secretary/Treasurer of the Automotive Oil Change Association's Board of Directors, has resigned from the Board to fill an as-yet-undisclosed position with ACE. The Shell Rapid Lubes owned by NMB will also be converted to Jiffy Lubes, giving ACE a total of 51 lube facilities and instantly making it one of the largest Jiffy Lube franchise organizations in the country.
As the details are still being ironed out and the principals involved have requested a bit of time to adjust before being interviewed, expect a full report on ACE in our September issue.