In 1987, Bill McDowell chose to start one of north Alabama’s first mobile electronics stores in a 2,700 sq. ft. building in Boaz after living several years in California. Within the first two years he decided that just running a store wasn’t enough. Bill is one of the founding fathers of Mobile Electronics Retailers Association (MERA) and a member of both the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the Mobile Electronics Certification Program (MECP). From start to present “Wild Bills” specializes in audio, video, navigation and security installation and custom speaker enclosures and door panels. Basically, if it goes in a car, truck or boat, the staff at “Wild Bill’s” can get it and put it in.  

The home store in Boaz is known for it’s “like walking into a friend’s house” hospitality. Bill has always said that customer service has a minimum standard but never a maximum. Bill and his staff have even been known to make house calls, picking up or dropping off customers and even occasionally take his customers out to lunch. It’s even store policy to send thank you cards and make follow-up calls to customers.

“Wild” Bill McDowell’s industry accolades include MECP-Best Single Store in 1994; Installation News-Best single store operation in 1995; in the top 3 for Retailer of the year in 1995; Mobile Electronics Certification Program Champion Award from MECP in 1997; helped start one of two Install Training College courses in the country; Board of Directors at MERA and co-founder; Emerging Technologies Committee (CEMA); Education Director for MERA.

Among the organizations, awards and above-standard customer service, Bill is also very active in the community that he lives and works in. Bill, backed by his staff and store has helped in raising money for local schools, sponsoring the D.A.R.E. drug resistance program and is an active member in the local rotary club. Bill also staged local sound competitions but stopped because of the decline in community interest; he has since had several more.