Shop Showcase (163)
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Collision Repair is an Art Form at Uptown Body & Fender
Written by Ed AttanasioWhen people see the facility at Uptown Body & Fender in Oakland, CA, for the very first time, they’re usually pleased, confused and definitely intrigued simultaneously. “This is a body shop?” they ask. “It looks like an art gallery or a really nice coffee house!” they say. Some have called Uptown Body & Fender the “anti-body shop” and one magazine understated it as “out of the ordinary.” All of the above are accurate descriptions of this amazing shop that pipes in classical music, features a chic interior design and has an espresso/tea bar for its customers and visitors.
To view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE.
Al Brodeur’s Auto Body Offers Honesty, Inspires Loyalty
Written by Chasidy Rae SiskAl Brodeur’s Auto Body, Inc. in Marlborough, MA, offers their customers peace of mind in knowing that every step of their repair is being handled in a professional manner. The shop facilitates the claim from start to finish as they strive to make the repair process as fluid as possible. According to Molly Brodeur, Chief Operating Officer and daughter of owner Al Brodeur, “Al has always operated an honest shop, and as a result, our customer base is large and very loyal.”
To view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE.
Pompano Beach’s Auto Tech and Body: Community and Customer
Written by Chasidy Rae SiskAt Auto Tech and Body in Pompano Beach, FL, customer service is a top priority, as is dedication to the community. The reason behind this is founder Jay Ghanem’s philosophy that “We want to work for a company that contributes to and is part of the community, where personal values and the passion to repair cars are interconnected with the vision of being of service to our customers and the community as a whole.”
Auto Tech and Body demonstrates their interest in and devotion to their community in multiple ways. The shop includes an in-house community center that is donated to their community for use by the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club, the Key Club and others. They hold multiple car wash fundraisers for different charities and host a blood drive three times a year.
To view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE.
Cole’s Collision Says It’s Quality & Caring That Customers Love
Written by Chasidy Rae SiskCole’s Collision, with three locations in upstate New York, focuses on community involvement and quality customer service.
Owner John Cole told me, “Our community efforts are quite substantial compared to other shops in our area. With the ability of our three locations to capture so much market share, we make it a point to be extremely customer oriented. Through our community involvement and large customer base, our customer service and quality of work maintains the customer’s loyalty. We pride ourselves on running a legitimate business and ‘doing the right thing’ at all times.”
To view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE.
48 Years Young, Grand National Auto Body Looks to a New Future
Written by Melanie AndersonForty-eight years young, Grand National Auto Body in Canoga Park, CA, recently underwent a complete remodel and will celebrate its Grand Re-Opening June 21. The shop is inviting insurance managers, supervisors and local agents , and the chamber of commerce for Calabasas and Canoga Park, as well as their customers, of course.
“We want our customers to have an overall excellent experience here at our shop,” said co-owner Robert Salinas. “And that shows from the minute they step through the door. Customers can relax in our newly remodeled 1,200-square-foot waiting room that includes a flat-screen TV, and comfortable couches and chairs. We have relied on our customers just as much as they have relied on us.”
To view a pdf file of this article with photos, click HERE.
CollisionMax Offers Maximum Results in Collision Repairs
Written by Chasidy Rae SiskIn addition to providing over thirty-five years of collision industry experience, CollisionMax has eleven locations, seven in Southern New Jersey and four in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Yet, they do not credit their convenient locations or years of professional experience for their success. Their formula for success is proudly displayed on the company’s website: “We’re collision experts, but we never forget our most important job is keeping customers happy and informed.”
Class Auto Center: An Aptly Named First Class Operation
Written by Janet CheneyClass Auto Center in Long Beach, California is aptly named—truly a first class operation. This 15,000 square foot shop stands out like a beacon to L.A. traffic on the 405 Freeway. The facility was built from the ground up in 1990 by owner Ray Neveau.
To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.
Neveau’s first shop was a very small two-bay shop in a dead end alley in Long Beach, however his impeccable reputation brought customers to his door. Erik Sumen was a ‘surfer’ kid who loved cars and knew of Neveau’s reputation, being very much in awe of him. Erik was fixing jet skis at home in his garage, when he found Ray Neveau in his little shop in the alley. Erik eagerly went to work for Ray as the ‘donut boy.’ Neveau then built Class Auto Center and their relationship has built this business to where it stands tall today.
This unique, upscale repair facility does all the estimating, bookkeeping and management of the operation upstairs. As you walk into the hi-tech waiting room, customers are welcomed by a customer service representative and seated in a quiet and clean environment, while the business of running this business is done up stairs. Even parts are managed upstairs and moved by a freight elevator that ascends to the parts room and descends into a corner of the production area.
There are no Direct Repair Relationships with insurance companies at Class Auto Center. They have strong relationships with their dealership partners and take excellent care of their mutual customers. This shop pays close attention to all details and they have a high customer return rate.
Rich’s Auto Body: Approaching 50 Years and Not Slowing Down
Written by Ed AttanasioSpanning four family generations and in business for nearly 50 years, Rich’s Auto Body in Merced, Calif. has seen the automotive collision industry change and re-invent itself more than just a few times over the decades.
To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.
Leonard Rich, Jr., who will turn 80 this year, is the founder and still the driving force behind this large operation. Rich, Jr.’s son, Leonard Rich III (age 55), is the shop’s general manager and his son Joseph (age 29) works by his side while they run a 50,000-square foot body shop that also includes a towing company, car museum, upholstery division, car restoration business and a vehicle detailing business.
Rich's Auto Body, Inc. was founded in the summer of 1964 by Leonard Rich, Jr. after learning the industry while working at his father's body shop in Ambridge, Pennsylvania for seven years. In 1962, Rich, Jr. moved to the west coast to join his father’s relocated shop.
“I drove one of my father’s old two trucks to California from Ambridge,” Rich, Jr. said. “My dream was to be a doctor and I wanted to pursue it, but then one day my mother told me, ‘One thing you can do is fix cars, so go do it! Plus, your grades aren’t good enough.’ That was the best advice I ever got. Two years later I decided to try and make it on my own, so I opened my own shop.”
LeMans Body and Paint: Still a Family Affair After 53 Years in the Los Angeles Area
Written by Erica SchroederLeMans Body and Paint was started in 1959 by Lyman Beetley as a small used-car dealership and collision repair shop in Santa Monica. Tragically, he passed away in 1964 at the too-soon age of 54. When his sons, Richard and Robert, took over the business when they were just teenagers in 1964, they pushed the business more towards the collision repair work and slowly phased out the used car sales over the next few years.
To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.
In 1974, the brothers purchased the building north of the original lot, and then the building south of it in 1980. This created a private office space for managers as well as an expanded paint area.
Richard’s children, Kim and Kirk, and Robert’s sons, Bill and Ed, took over the business in the late 1980s and still manage it today.
According to Kirk, in the early 70s his father and uncle were the first guys in the area to really take their shop to the next level, with a polished reception area and a strong emphasis on customer service—requiring all personnel to dress in a business professional attire. They also built in some achitectural flair to the new building which earned them a city of Santa Monica beautification award. Putting in the extra effort helped bring their business and the industry as a whole from the “local garage mentality” to an important service business in the community.
When the third generation took over the business DRP relationships were just starting to heat up, so the group took an aggressive approach towards insurance contracts and rapidly expanded the business. They added a second location in Los Angeles in 1999 and a third in El Segundo in 2007. The family also brought in long-time family friend Ross Kulkin to help manage the business. Ross had spent 10 years on the insurance company side and was able to add some great perspective to the group.
County Line Auto Body: NJ Shop Grows From Chicken Coop to Multi-Building Complex
Written by Chasidy Rae SiskCounty Line Auto Body in Howell, NJ, has been a successful shop for nearly thirty years, but recently they have made several major improvements to the business.
To view a PDF of this article please click HERE.
Founding owner, Gary Gardella Sr. is putting his faith in his two sons: co-owners Rich Gardella and Gary Gardella Jr. His close connection with his sons has led to some major decisions in the business designed to benefit County Line Auto Body and their customers.
In 1982, Gary Gardella Sr., along with a partner, opened County Line Auto Body as a two-bay shop that literally had been converted from a chicken coop. From the very beginning, Gardella and his partner had high expectations, working hard to show local customers through their dedication and determination that they would provide quality auto body repairs, despite the shop’s chickenish appearance. Over time, the coop shop expanded, and new employees were hired as customers shared their experiences, leading to repeat customers and new clientele.
Some years later when Gardella and his partner split up, Gardella dedicated even more time and energy into his business; however, it was difficult to run a thirty-man operation with little management to draw upon. Luckily, his two sons decided to join the business in 2001. Rich Gardella, 24 at the time, was finishing college, while Gary Jr., at 21, was working in the shop. Both young men had spent years around the business, working for their father after school and during their summers. Between the paint and detail shops, they understood the basics of the business. Rich attended school in order to learn estimating, while Gary Jr. took on the role of production manager.
