Can I get a taxi? Greensboro mechanic is key source for Anglophiles who want a bit of London in their lives.

• Author: Gemberling, Kyra
• Position: TAKING INVENTORY - London Taxi Parts USA

Baker's Automotive and B&B Truck Repair in Greensboro looks like most any other repair shop: A smorgasbord of vehicles sits waiting for service, accented by sharp squeals of drills and a familiar gasoline odor. But scattered among the sedans and trucks is an unfamiliar sight: A handful of classic London taxis, some waiting for repairs, others waiting to be sold.

Owner Larry Baker's shop now includes sister company London Taxi Parts USA, which he says is the only supplier of London taxi parts in North America. The Greensboro native started his truck-repair business in 1977, then added cars in 1993. In 2009, a friend told Baker that Chicago-based London Taxi North America, the original supplier of taxi parts, was going bankrupt. Baker balked at the $250,000 asking price, then waited until an hour before the business was scheduled to close. He

paid $20,000 for the brand name and inventory. "I'm not a business guru, but when opportunity knocks, you have to take it," he says. He's also not an Anglophile: Baker, 66, has never visited England but says he hopes to go someday.

Luckily for Baker, about 250 TXIIs--the standard London taxi model--had been imported into the U.S., creating a niche market for his company. Phone calls started pouring in from people all over the country seeking parts. Revenue from the taxi business totaled about $100,000 in the first year and has stayed at that level, he says. Overall, Baker's seven-employee company grosses about $1.5 million annually.

London Taxi Parts' clientele mainly consists of individuals wanting to restore vehicles for their personal use. A Texan bought a taxi for...