Courtesy Don’s Import Auto Service
Donald Meeks, owner of Don’s Import Auto Service, started his shop in 1980 by renting two bays in a gas station. Back then it was just Meeks, a tech and a part-time office worker. In two years, the shop outgrew that space and built its own building in 1982. The shop’s current location has a staff of 17 and was built in June of 2010 right next door to the old building’s location.
1 Don’s Import boasts a fleet of six loaner vehicles for its customers.
2 When Meeks opened up the new location, he wasn’t sure how much tire work they were going to do. The shop ended up shoving the equipment in a cramped corner for a little while. But when tire work proved to be a good profit center for the shop, Meeks decided to move all the equipment up to the second floor loft area. The loft area give the techs a lot more room to do the tire work, and it keeps the lower shop area clean and free of tire stacks and bulky equipment. It also increased airflow in the shop.
3 A mezzanine divides the shop and provides access to a building maintenance room and the shop’s wheel and tire equipment.
4 Don’s Import also installed a cargo lift when the tire equipment was moved upstairs to transport the tires up and down from the loft area.
5 During lunch, the team meets in the conference and training room for a “lunch and learn.” In addition to a kitchen area, the room has a television and whiteboard that they use for training. While they eat, the team can get brief training on how to use a new scan tool or how to utilize software and other quick tips. The shop’s operations manager moved into a glass-walled office space as the shop grew to keep an open feel.
Do you have a stand-out building, shop space, office or lobby? Submit your info to [email protected] and we may contact you for a full write-up on the view in your shop.
