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Balfour 1
Jennifer Balfour
Professor Burleson
English 1301
February 20, 2017
Trusting the Midas Touch
Did you know that the “Midas” in Midas Auto Service Experts is an acronym? It stands
for Muffler Installation Dealer’s Associated Service. Also, the name Midas is derived from the
king Midas and his golden touch. Hence, the somewhat catchy and slightly annoying slogan,
‘Trust the Midas Touch’. Is there truth behind the slogan? Can customers ‘Trust the Midas
Touch’?
Learning a little background information about the company can lead customers down the
path to answer that lingering question, “Can customers ‘Trust the Midas Touch’? In the early
1950s, the founder, Nate Sherman, a muffler manufacturer, had a bold idea; he wanted to sell his
mufflers and bring franchising to the automotive repair industry. In April 1956, Sherman formed
the Muffler Installation Dealer’s Associated Service (M.I.D.A.S). That same month, Hugh
Landrum, a long-time friend and customer of Sherman’s became the first franchisee. Landrum’s
shop, which was in Macon, Georgia, became the first Midas Muffler, which specialized in
installation and replacement of mufflers. To keep up with and to protect its share in the
automotive repairs’ industry, they started to expand and offer more services. From the 1960s to
1980s, they added suspension services, such as shocks absorbers, brake services, alignment
services, and many more. With the expansion and the new services being offered, Midas became
a complete auto repair shop, now known as Midas Auto Service Experts or Midas Complete Car
Balfour 2
Care. Now, 60 years later, there are nearly 1300 company- and franchised-owned locations
across the U.S. and Canada.
So, can customers really ‘Trust the Midas Touch’ just because they learned a little of its
history? Most likely, the answer is no, well at least not 100%. But, a customer with a new-found
knowledge or Midas’ history is more likely to visit a location close to them. Luckily, there is a
Midas in Pearland to visit. A quick 15 to 20-minute drive up Highway 35 North, turn left on FM
518, and three blocks down on the right-hand side will get them there.
Just the name Midas, will probably not seal the deal in choosing them as your vehicle’s
doctor, customers usually need to meet the people that run the shop, the hands-on people. This
Midas is a franchised-owned location. The owner/franchisee, Kelly Moore, is a local small-
business owner, living in Alvin all his life and continues to reside here with his daughter. This
