John Twist posted the following on the MG experience MGB forum:
"I do appreciate, truly, the outpouring of concern. Allow me to offer some of my standard lines and then give a slightly more detailed explanation. 1) We've been on life support for several years and it was time to pull the plug. 2) As a businessman, understand that I find myself on the right of the political spectrum. Two branches of the Federal government are firmly in the hands of the liberals, the national economy is in tough shape, the Michigan economy is in horrible condition, my business must close, and my wife has cancer -- other years have started on much better notes.
There are only several "large" MG shops left in this country. The others are located in major metropolitan centers; several in very warm states. As long as the economy was doing well, MG owners were willing and able to bring their cars to us -- in this remote, northern location -- for repair and/or restoration. I cannot begin to tell you how many of our customers are out of work or fearful of losing their jobs. For those who have already retired, they've seen their savings accounts lose half their value. These are very, very difficult times.
Our shop looks like an automotive repair center -- we have hoists, we change exhausts and brakes, do tune-ups.... but we're REALLY in the entertainment business. No one needs an MG and MG owners do not need to have their MG repaired - they can wait until next year! We were after the same dollars that one would spend to go to a movie or dinner, spend landscaping one's lawn, or taking an excursion to Aruba. These are uncertain times, to say the least, and either the entertainment dollars are simply not there, or MG owners are holding back. There is business, certainly, but not enough to support the size plant we have.
Some have asked, "Why don't you work on modern cars to supplement your business?" Quite frankly, I don't like working on cars -- I do like working on MGs. Go figure. We have performed line service, bench service, and restoration. We have hosted the largest MG gatherings outside of England (save the all register events in 1996 (I was chairman of that one) 2001 and 2006) with 550 MGs on the field! We have held technical seminars for a quarter of a century with about 1500 "graduates." I host an hour long call-in technical hour every weekday. I answer (erratically and in batches) technical emails that are then printed in various publications. Sometimes I write stand alone technical articles. I have a technical book (temporarily out of print). I enjoy working with MGs and the MG community --anyone who has viewed the YouTube videos knows this.. This decision to close was not personal, it was business. If we were all twenty years younger; if the business climate in Michigan showed signs of recovery; if we were all in good health -- we would labor on. We did so in the past when times were tough. Times are much, much tougher now. There is simply not enough business to cover our expenses. Two years ago we about broke even; last year we lost money; this year portended to be catastrophic. We had no option.
Add into these difficulties that my wife, Caroline, my business partner of 32 years, has cancer. She had 2/3 of her right lung removed last July, has undergone whole brain radiation, and is on a second course of chemotherapy. She is 55; I am 60.
My intention, today, is to continue to provide bench service and technical information. I will be in Maine the 6/7 of June; Breckenridge at the NAMGBR event later in June; at Mad Dogs on July 12th at the Gilmore Museum near Kalamazoo; at the Central PA British Car event in Altoona the weekend after Labor Day. I'm not hanging my hat up yet!"
