Very sad that both Paul’s in FL and John’s in TX are closing. I’ve dealt with both, particularly a decade or two back. I can’t imagine a greater contrast between two individuals. Both enjoyable but completely different. John was quite terse and didn’t suffer fools, and that’s what I am! In contrast, Paul was very chatty with said fool. The most astonishing and unforgettable feature of Paul’s is that my call was sometimes answered by a bloke whose Brit accent and loquacious friendliness like Paul, but it was actually another knowledgeable, friendly and long-winded Brit named Jeremy!
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I didn’t realize John’s in Dallas was closing. In 1994 I bought a steering rack bushing tool from him. Used it many times. Somehow lost it. I called him up a month ago to order a new one, gave him my name…. And he told me the address he had saved. My parents house. I bought it in high school 
the new one was sent right out. I’m glad I have one.
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Paul is in Fort Laurderdale. I would encourage anyone in Florida to take a road trip to his place to experience a part of history that is rapidly being lost. And you might purchase a couple of parts you never thought you needed.
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If he can’t make enough money running the Jaguar business to pay himself a decent rent as the landlord, nobody else will be able to do it either.
The expense of rent is killing a lot of businesses like that where a lot of area is required. The owner of the business ends up making a lot of money in the end because the business paid for the property, which can now be sold or rented for what would have seemed a fortune when the business was started.
I’m reminded of a period in the 80s-90s where a lot of dealerships in the Los Angeles area were closing.
It’s not that they were not viable. To the contrary, they were staying afloat, or even doing quite well, financially. It’s just that the property became SO valuable that it made more sense to shut down and sell the land. This scenario was particularly attractive when 2nd-3rd generation family members became the owners. Their hearts were not in the business (it’s a tough game) and the allure of umpteen millions of dollars in a lump sum was too much to resist.
Cheers
DD
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My few transactions with Paul’s were positive; I have no complaints. Good service, good parts. And, of course, Paul’s always had that oddball stuff that you couldn’t find anywhere else ! Trim items, particularly.
I had occasion to speak with Paul only once. It was regarding the fit of some seat covers I bought. I must say that he has the ability to be insulting and pleasant simultaneously. Sorta like that old adage “Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell in way that he’ll enjoy making the trip” .
Cheers
DD
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I think i heard he’s simply retiring.
If you’re talking about “John” with “John’s Cars” here in Dallas, first I heard he was actually closing his doors. 
I talked to him about a month ago about a part I need for Superblue (good used power steering rack), and he told me that right now he is “recovering from knee surgery” and would get back to me as soon as he had recovered. Since he is “chief cook and bottle washer” @ his business, I’m thinking that means he may need to stop operations in the interim until then. He did make the decision, many years ago, to no longer offer service at his facility (located on Jaguar Lane, no less 
) but to only sell the parts off the cars in his sizeable salvage inventory (and some new/rebuilt ones). No idea why, but that was his call.
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I wonder if the fact that FL does not have an individual income tax (same as here in TX) might have a hand in that. 
Seems like the state tries to make up for that lost revenue by having a very high property tax, as well as co. income taxes (called “franchise tax” here in TX). ? 
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Diplomacy: The art of smiling and shaking right hands while simultaneously blowing smoke and stabbing them in the back with the left hand.
Wow - such bitterness. I would never have guessed. I’m surprised that Hemmings agreed to even print that diatribe, but then John’s has probably been a major advertiser with them over the years. 
Although John did develop THE conversion kit (lump) for Jag V-12 engines, IMHO he was relying too heavily on the income from the sale of same over the last few years, rather than, e.g. maintaining the servicing part of his biz. At one time, lumping the V-12s was a big thing, but now that there are fewer and fewer of them on the road (as well as ones that the present owners want to lump) it only follows that income from sales of those kits is going to continue to be on the decline.
Anyway, as with Paul’s Jaguars, wish I had the $$ to buy him out and continue his biz (esp. John’s being local), but I just don’t.
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Having lived in Texas (El Paso and Kempner, TX) now retired in Central Florida I can say Texas property taxes are almost triple that of Florida. We wanted to move back to Texas but property taxes were the stopping point. Searched 50 miles North of Dallas to 50 miles South of Austin, a 100 mile wide swatch, finding taxes were very, very high everywhere. As for Florida loosing revenue due to no State income tax – NOT…
Florida Government has a balanced budget system and shows a surplus. While food may be lower cost in Texas living cost are higher!
Happy Trails,
Dick
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I moved to Texas in 1981 and have done reasonably well, better than the 18.5% unemployment state I fled.
But as you say the property taxes have me considering retirement elsewhere.
I can totally understand John’s point of view. The business has changed and being available to the general public is more challenging while we all get older and less tolerant of in increase of the clueless. However, his opinion is one thing, publishing it in a magazine is quite another. For better or worse, that does seem a “Texan” thing to do. Some people will like it and some will be horrified.
As an elected government official, I have had to learn to let some public posts sit for hours or even days, before clicking . There is a lot of truth in the statement “you can’t handle the truth”.
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Interesting. Yes, I wasn’t sure about property tax rates in FL … but seems people (I know) complain about them everywhere anymore … 
Where was that, Jimmy? 
John has always been outspoken. Some people have a lot of things to say and relish any opportunity to say them ! Seems that increasingly more people are taking on this behavior.
Personally, if I’m conducting business with someone I’m really not interested in hearing uninvited commentary on politics, social issues, etc. But, hey, that’s just me.
Cheers
DD
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Oh good lord, can I so steal that comment.
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Nooooo… you have some company in that pew…
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