Hall of Fame boxer finds paradise in used-car sales business east of the Cooper

Looked at one way, Johnny Boyd spent more than 30 years fighting to get where he is today.

Boyd boxed in Golden Gloves as a youth and young adult, entering the South Carolina Boxing Hall of Fame a few years ago. And he worked in the car business for decades before he was fortunate enough to own an outlet outright.

Yet it wasn't that big a battle; in fact, it's been a fun time for the most part. Boyd said he picked out a name early on for what he would call a business - any business - of his own.

"Paradise," he said. Like the song, "It's Just Another Day in Paradise." To show he's not kidding, Boyd wears Hawaiian shirts to work every day, noting he has a collection of 40 or more.

Boyd, born in Charleston and raised east of the Cooper, launched Johnny Boyd's Paradise Motors in 2005.

"In four years, we've had a little bit of everything," he said, "from a $75,000 Mercedes to a 1965 Mustang convertible right now."

The used car spot at 594 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. offers an array of pre-owned vehicles, with 35 to 40 on the lot at any one time. "It's a great location, near the (Ravenel) bridge, he said.

While figures can vary, the cars are primarily two to 10 years old and priced from $8,000 to $15,000. Most of the vehicles are imports such as Mercedes, Land Rover, BMW, Honda and Toyota, but Boyd also sells Ford and other domestics.

Typically, the vehicles have 60,000 to 100,000 miles. "I really look at the condition," Boyd said. That's why the mileage can vary. A car with 95,000 miles on it can be saleable as long as it's in good shape.

Paradise Motors gets most of its vehicles from customer trade-ins or wholesale purchases from local new car dealers. "You know more about the (car's) background," he said.

The lot has had at least one celebrity buyer. Mount Pleasant resident Darius Rucker, lead singer of the band Hootie and the Blowfish and more recently a country music artist, bought a pre-owned Mercedes CL500 coupe a few months ago.

Unquestionably, Paradise Motors is a family business. Joining Boyd, the president, are his wife, Elizabeth Anne as vice president; son Johnny Boyd Jr. and his wife Sarah handle Internet sales and state Department of Motor Vehicles paperwork; and daughter Ashley Boyd works in the office.

Even the Boyd's three-year-old grandson Mason likes to help around the dealership. They have a second grandson, Rhodes Tillman Boyd, born this week and a third is on the way.

"Because it's a family business, how we treat the customer (is like family). There's no pressure," Boyd said. The outlet has a small service department where cars are cleaned up and detailed. Hay Tire next door also checks the vehicles before they go up for sale.

Still, Boyd lets prospective customers take vehicles home for a day and have them inspected by an independent shop.

Boyd acknowledged that it's a buyer's market, so prices are on the low side. He said he tries to keep costs down anyway, typically selling below "book value" or the price of the car if it had to be sold off.

About 60 to 70 percent of his customers have surfed the Internet perusing cars for sale, so they are usually up to speed on price and condition, he said.

Boyd said he's built up clientele from his many years in Mount Pleasant. "So many people come in here looking for cars for their teenagers," he said. If Paradise Motors doesn't have the vehicle the customer wants, then Boyd can find it for them, he said.

Boyd and his family moved to Mount Pleasant in 1971. He had started boxing at age 8, first with a West Ashley team and then an Isle of Palms club in the 119-pound weight class. His achievements include being invited to the east region Olympic Trials in 1976 in Detroit. Boyd hung up the gloves at age 20.

On the auto front, he started with Charleston Lincoln-Mercury west of the Ashley, then worked at Stokes Honda. He and a business partner opened Liberty Motors in North Charleston, then ran Coliseum Motors at Dorchester Road and Montague Avenue. He sold out his share to open Paradise Motors.

"I just want people to come here relaxed," Boyd said.

The business is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 849-8727 or visit www.jbparadisemotors.com for more information.

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com