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They were
there for us when we had no where else to turn. (ColorTyme
President) Bob Bloom helped keep us in business and I’m grateful
to everyone at corporate and so many other ColorTyme franchisees
for their continued support.
Tom Neyhart, ColorTyme Franchisee
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| Tom and Lisa Neyhart's Gretna location was repaired and reopened in early
November last year. With the help of ColorTyme’s unique
financing options, the couple opened a new location to
replace their New Orleans store in southern Baton Rouge
in December |
When Hurricane Katrina struck the
Louisiana Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, Tom and Lisa Neyhart
not only witnessed the widespread destruction in the region
they’d come to call home, they also saw two-thirds of their
business demolished by the catastrophic New Orleans’ floods.
Before Katrina, the Neyharts owned three
ColorTyme
locations in Louisiana, one each in Baton Rouge, Gretna and New
Orleans. The New Orleans store was completely destroyed and
deemed a total loss while the Gretna location was damaged badly.
Tom was left with one of his three stores operating: Baton
Rouge.
“ColorTyme came through for us at a critical time, we wouldn’t
have survived without them,” Tom said. “They were there for us
when we had no where else to turn. (ColorTyme President) Bob
Bloom helped keep us in business and I’m grateful to everyone at
corporate and so many other ColorTyme franchisees for their
continued support.”
The Neyharts’ Gretna location was repaired and reopened in early
November last year. With the help of ColorTyme’s unique
financing options, the couple opened a new location to replace
their New Orleans store in southern Baton Rouge in December –
building on their established presence on the north side of the
city and the large influx of people following Katrina.
“We would love to be able to go back to New Orleans, we’re all
locals and our roots are here,” Tom said. “We had such loyal
customers and strong relationships in New Orleans. Even though
we have a long road ahead, we’re looking forward to expanding in
Louisiana with locations possibly in Hammond, Baton Rouge and
even back in New Orleans some day.”
Tom got his start in the rent-to-own (RTO) industry in 1983,
working after school while finishing college. However, RTO
seemed to stick with him and he began working with a ColorTyme
franchisee in 1991. By 1993, he was a partner in a franchise and
in 1999, bought the business outright from his partner. Tom
built his franchise into the three successful stores by 2005.
His wife, Lisa, and he have both been prominent figures in the
RTO industry, serving in the past as President of the Louisiana
Rental Dealers Association, APRO board member and President of
the New York Rental Dealers Association.
ColorTyme, Inc. is the oldest franchised rent-to-own or rental
purchase company in the United States with nearly 300 stores.
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